"We hope everyone who is able will join us at the Memorial Flagpole (6^th Avenue South and the Riverfront) to commemorate the international organization which offers us the best opportunity to address the common good of all peoples," said Janice Cebula OSF, President of the Sisters of St. Francis, who have organized the local observance since 1989.

"Bringing to LIFE the Millennium Development Goals" is the theme of this year's commemoration

The Goals (MDGs) are a set of 8 global objectives aimed at improving the lives of the world's poorest people. The Goals, which cover a range of human development issues from providing universal primary education to halting the spread of HIV, were adopted at the 2000 UN Millennium Summit by 189 nations and have spurred unprecedented global efforts to help the world's poor.

The MDGs provide the entire United Nations System, including the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with a blueprint to work coherently together towards a common goal to reduce poverty and improve lives. They set time bound targets, by which progress in reducing poverty, homelessness and hunger; combating HIV AIDs and other diseases; promoting gender equality, maternal and child health, education and environmental sustainability; and encouraging global partnerships for development can be measured. They also embody basic human rights ? the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter and security.

The MDGs, which are slated to be met by 2015, have been the focus of UN Day celebrations worldwide for ten years: one means by which UN Associations around the world strive to focus public attention on the needs addressed in the MDGs. The Clinton Franciscans sit on the Board of the Iowa Division on the UN Association-USA and are founding members of the Franciscan presence at the UN, Franciscans International.

Annually Clinton's Mayors have come to the riverfront to preside, often in the rain and cold, standing together with thousands of mayors and other government leaders around the world in recognizing the significance of the U.N. Charter which went into effect on October 24, 1945.

In 1947, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a U.S.-sponsored resolution declaring October 24th United Nations Day, to be commemorated annually by all member-states of the United Nations. In the United States, each President, beginning with Harry Truman, has issued a proclamation asking citizens to observe U.N. Day and to reflect upon the importance of the United Nations to our national interest, as well as to each American individually.

For more information on the UN Day commemoration, call Sisters of St. Francis, 563-242-7611 or visit www.clintonfranciscans.com. #######

CUTLINE: the UN Flag flies along with the US, IOWA and MIA flags on Clinton's Riverfront Memorial following last year's UN Day ceremony.

SIDE BAR:

The United States and the MDGS, a report by InterAction, outlines three areas in which major reforms are necessary: official development assistance, trade, and debt relief. The United States has made some progress in each of these categories, yet more work remains to be done.

The U.S. is the largest single provider of official development assistance in terms of total dollars, but U.S. aid lags behind that of many Western European nations as a percentage of gross national income. American assistance totals 0.22% of GNI, far below both the 0.47% average of major donor countries and the UN's target rate of 0.7%. Moreover, over two-thirds of U.S. aid goes to middle-income and high-income countries such as Israel, and many of the world's poorest nations are not among top recipients of U.S. aid. Non-governmental aid, including remittances and foreign direct investment, similarly favors middle-income countries over the world's most impoverished.

U.S. trade promises, meanwhile, offer a brighter future for the poor ? but only if the U.S. lives up to its guarantees. Federal lawmaking and exceptions to trade rules have frequently collapsed progressive trade reforms. Current legislation in the US Congress threatens US contributions to relieving international poverty by eliminating US payment of its UN dues and thus removing the US from the international consultative body.

Appointments Latest Step in Series of Workers' Compensation Reforms

CHICAGO - October 17, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today announced the appointments of 7 commissioners to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (IWCC). Commissioners review workers' compensation appeals, and today's appointments relate to the package of reforms to the workers' compensation system that Governor Quinn led through the General Assembly and signed earlier this year.

"We set out to review and reform our entire workers' compensation system in Illinois, and that's what we have done," Governor Quinn said. "Our reforms continue protections for workers, while also saving our businesses millions and improving Illinois' business climate. These commissioners will ensure that Illinois workers' compensation cases are judged fairly so that workers and business can have confidence in our system."

Commissioners sit on one of three IWCC panels that review appeals by petitioners or respondents to an arbitrator's decision. To ensure balanced reviews, each panel consists of three commissioners: a commissioner representing the public, a labor commissioner representing the employee community, and a business commissioner representing the employer community.

In June, Governor Quinn signed House Bill 1698, a comprehensive overhaul of Illinois' workers' compensation system. The reforms are expected to save Illinois businesses between $500 and $750 million dollars annually, while continuing protections for injured workers. The reform package also included a major overhaul of Illinois' troubled Workers' Compensation Commission.

Last Friday, the Governor appointed 29 arbitrators to the IWCC, following a rigorous vetting process by the Advisory Board and the Office of the Governor. The overhaul called for the Governor to make appointments or reappointments to fill all arbitrator positions, considering recommendations from the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board. Members of the board - six representing employers and six representing workers - were appointed by the Governor earlier this year

The new law requires both arbitrators and commissioners to follow the rules and ethical practices of judges. Arbitrators and commissioners must also take at least 20 hours of training every 2 years while in office regarding professional and ethical standards, detection of fraud, evidence-based medical treatment, and Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis.

The Governor appointed commissioners to seven positions that were on expired terms. Five commissioners were reappointed. Commissioner Molly Mason was appointed as an arbitrator on Friday. Three commissioners, Yolaine Dauphin, Thomas Tyrrell, and Chairman Mitchell Weisz, are in the midst of four year terms, set to expire on Jan. 21, 2013.

Current panels and Commissioners:

Governor Quinn has appointed:

Mario Basurto of Cook County has more than 15 years of experience as an attorney and legal supervisor and has been a commissioner with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2005. Previously, Mr. Basurto worked as an attorney for the firm Dranias, Harrington & Wilson, and as an in-house trial attorney and assistant legal supervisor for the Law Offices of Lauren Meachum, where he was exclusively responsible for over 70% of the firm's largest corporate client, United Parcel Service. Mr. Basurto is an active member in such organizations as the Chicago Bar Association, the Hispanic Lawyers Assication and the Puerto Rican Lawyers Association. He received a J.D. and a B.A. from the University of Illinois. Mr. Basurto will be serving as a Commissioner on Panel C.

Charles DeVriendt of Will County has nearly 30 years of experience as a workers' compensation attorney through his private practice, DeVriendt and Associates, and has served as an arbitrator with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2004. Mr. DeVriendt previously served as Assistant General Counsel at the Chicago Park District, Assistant Corporation Counsel at the City of Chicago and served as a police officer at the Chicago Police Department. He holds a J.D. from DePaul University, and a B.A. from St. Joseph College. Mr. DeVriendt will be appointed as a Commissioner on Panel B.

Daniel R. Donohoo of Madison County has more than 25 years of experience as a CPA and county recorder and has served as a Commissioner with the Illinois Worker's Compensation Commission since May of 2010. Mr. Donohoo served for over 20 years as the recorder for Madison County in addition to being a board member for four years. He has worked at the firms Schoppet & Schoppet and Croxford, Donohoo & Co. Mr. Donohoo is a member of ABA, ISBA, AICPA and ILCPA and has been a member of Governor Quinn's Taxpayer Action Board. He holds a J.D. from Thomas L. Cooley Law School and a B.A. from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Mr. Donohoo will be serving as a Commissioner on Panel A.

David L. Gore Jr. of Will County has nearly 20 years of experience as an attorney and has served as a commissioner with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2006. Previously, he was a partner at the firm Gore & Gore, specializing in workers compensation cases. Mr. Gore has also served as Assistant State's Attorney for Chicago, staff attorney with the Illinois Legislative Reference Bureau and Contract Administrator for an intellectual property protection company. In addition, he has served as staff representative of the United Steelworkers of America, ALF-CIO-CLC. Gore holds a J.D., an M.A. and a B.A. from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mr. Gore will be serving as a Commissioner on Panel C.

Kevin W. Lamborn of DuPage County has more than 20 years of experience as a prosecutor in several divisions of the Cook County States' Attorney and has served as a commissioner with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2007. Mr. Lamborn previously worked as an attorney and partner for the firm McAuley & Lamborn and as an associate attorney for the municipal practice law firm Storino, Ramello & Durkin. He holds a J.D. from The John Marshall Law School and a B.A. from Valparaiso University. Mr. Lamborn will be serving as a Commissioner on Panel A.

Michael Paul Latz of Cook County has more than 20 years of experience as an attorney in private practices and in the public sector. Mr. Latz is currently Of Counsel with the firm Ancel Glink Diamond Bush DiCianni & Kraftheffer. Previously, he was an associate and partner for Bollinger, Rueberry & Garvey and associate at Potter & Schaffner and O'Conner, Schiff & Meyer. He has also served as assistant state's attorney for Cook County. He holds a J.D. and a B.A. from University of Notre Dame. Mr. Latz will be serving as a Commissioner on Panel C.

Nancy H. Lindsay of Sangamon County has more than 30 years of experience as an attorney specializing in workers' compensation and has served as a commissioner with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2006. Previously, Ms. Lindsay taught business law at Illinois College in Jacksonville for nearly 20 years. She has served as a member and president for the Morgan County Bar Association and is currently a member of the Illinois State Bar Association. Ms. Lindsay holds a J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law, a M.A. from Sangamon State University and a B.A. from Illinois College. Ms. Lindsay will be serving as a Commissioner on Panel B.