Governor Champions New Illinois Hiring Veterans Tax Credit to Help Returning Servicemembers Find Jobs

CHICAGO - July 12, 2012.  Three days after signing the Hiring Veterans Tax Credit to help veterans find employment in Illinois, Governor Pat Quinn today called on employers throughout Illinois to hire 100,000 Veterans by 2020. The Governor was joined by a coalition of more than 60 companies, government agencies and Veterans' groups for the 100,000 Jobs Mission hiring event at the University of Illinois at Chicago's forum. The Hiring Veterans Tax Credit, which Governor Quinn called for in his 2012 State of the State address, is designed to help more Illinois Veterans find employment after returning from military service. The measure provides a significant additional tax credit of up to $5,000 for every unemployed Veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan an Illinois company hires, which helps businesses employ Veterans who have sacrificed so much in serving our state and our country.

"This job fair today is an opportunity for so many servicemembers who are ready and waiting to put their skills to work," Governor Quinn said. "Our returning Veterans have sacrificed, served and completed their mission and they deserve every opportunity to find a good job."

The 100,000 Jobs Mission hiring event is being held in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA), JP Morgan Chase, Joining Forces, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), American Legion, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, Student Veterans of America, U.S. Department of Labor - VETS, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The fair uses an innovative pre-register, pre-match model that results in pre-scheduled interviews and, in some cases, on-the-spot job offers that range from entry-level to managerial positions. Veterans are sought-after employees for their service training, which includes respect for authority, embracing responsibility and success operating in a team-based environment. Servicemembers also have advanced training in technology, manufacturing, construction and logistics. Since the program's launch last year, the group has collectively hired more than 12,000 Veterans.

Some of the Illinois-based companies and organizations participating in today's event include Abbott, Caterpillar, CDW, Cushman & Wakefield, Health Care Service Corp. (parent of Blue Cross Blue Shield), Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Kraft Foods, McDonald's, Northern Trust, Schneider National, Sears, University of Chicago Medical Center, and Walgreens.

For more information about benefits for our Veterans, visit Veterans.Illinois.gov or call the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs at 217-782-6641 or 312-814-2460.

(Quad Cities) - River Roots Live organizers have added 90's rockers Tonic to the headlining lineup for Saturday, August 18. Tonic will be replacing Los Lobos in the Saturday lineup due to an announcement from Los Lobos that they are now unable to play the date due to personal reasons.

With six top 10 singles, over 4 million records sold, Grammy nominations, and the #1 most-played rock song of 1998, Tonic is a musical powerhouse. Tonic merged the raw honesty of rock to unabashed melody...and ushered rock n roll into the new millennium. Tonic is still touring and releasing albums more than a decade after initially hitting the radio charts. Many bands would be content with that sort of history. Not Tonic. The band is back in the studio after a two-year break, working on a follow up to their last album, Grammy-nominated Head On Straight.

Emerson Hart founded Tonic with guitarist Jeff Russo - a childhood friend - adding bassist Dan Lavery shortly after inception. After storming the charts with debut album Lemon Parade and its monster hit "If You Could Only See," the band released two additional studio albums (Sugar and Head On Straight) as well as a live EP, Live & Enhanced. They've been featured on a number of soundtracks, including the lead single from "American Pie" ("You Wanted More"). This summer the band will release a Greatest Hits CD/DVD package. Tonic's other radio hits include Open up Your Eyes, Casual Affair, You Wanted More, Knock Down Walls, and more.

River Roots Live is the Quad-Cities' premiere music festival featuring top national bands and barbeque and it returns for its eighth year in downtown Davenport's LeClaire Park August 17 & 18! Admission to the park each day is only $5 after 5 p.m. and FREE from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Better Than Ezra, Tonic, and Keller Williams with the Travelin' McCourys will headline River Roots Live's 17 bands with support from a strong lineup of outstanding national artists including Julia Nunes, The Nighthawks, Eric Sardinas, Joe Robinson, The Steepwater Band, The Congress, Maps & Atlases, Quiet Corral, and Family Groove Company. The Quad Cities' own talent will also be on display when American Dust, Jason Carl & The Whole Damn Band, The Low Down, Oranagadang, and the Jordan Danielsen & The Great Space Coasters take the stage.

With an estimated 30,000 attendees in 2012, River Roots Live has continued to grow every year since its inception in 2005. With that in mind, additional vendors and beverage tents will be added to the fest this year. For complete details regarding band bios and festival activities, please visit www.RiverRootsLive.com.

Produced by the Downtown Davenport Partnership, a division of Quad Cities Chamber, River Roots Live is supported by partners Living Lands & Waters and the River Music Experience - all nonprofit organizations. River Roots Live is proud to help promote music education programs at the River Music Experience, environmental clean-up efforts on the Mississippi River by Living Lands & Waters, and the growth of historic downtown Davenport.

River Roots Live is presented by Rhythm City Casino and Riverboat Development Authority. Major Sponsors include U.S. Cellular, Nerdwerx, Mediacom, 97X, Budweiser, The Quad-City Times, WQAD Channel 8, and West Music. Please visit www.RiverRootsLive.com to see the complete list of our generous community sponsors!

Language included in House Farm Bill

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today applauded the inclusion of an amendment to the House version of the Farm Bill that would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to study the workload of Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices and solicit public comment before closures could occur.  Loebsack has been fighting to stop the consolidation of FSA offices, including those in Centerville, Creston and Leon.  The amendment is based on legislation introduced by Rep. Leonard Boswell and championed by Loebsack.

"I have been fighting side by side with Iowans in the affected areas to reverse the USDA's decision since it was first announced in February.  The consolidation of services provided by the FSA offices would cause great harm not only to individual farmers, but the rural economy as well.  I am pleased the House Agriculture Committee included this amendment and will continue to work to ensure the offices remain open."

Since the policy was announced earlier this year, Loebsack called on the USDA to re-evaluate this proposal.  He has also written to the House Agriculture and Appropriations Committees to urge them to include funding for the offices in the FY 2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill.  He also cosponsored two pieces of legislation to address these issues, H.R. 4313, the Farm Service Accountability Act (the basis of the amendment) and H.R. 4330, which prohibits the closing of a USDA office unless there is another office within 20 miles.