INTRO:  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told USDA's annual Agricultural Outlook Forum that a good farm economy could be further bolstered with help from Congress. The USDA's Bob Ellison has more. (2:14)

 

AGRICULTURE SECRETARY TOM VILSACK SAID TWENTY-TWELVE SHOULD BE ANOTHER GOOD YEAR FOR THE NATION'S FARM ECONOMY. SPEAKING TO THE ANNUAL AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK FORUM HELD NEAR WASHINGTON D-C, VILSACK SAID THAT STRONG AG EXPORTS SHOULD BOOST THE FARM ECONOMY.

 

Tom Vilsack, Agriuclture Secretary: Strong trade opportunities bolstered by the passage of three free trade agreements last year, combined with Russia's possible inclusion in the W-T-O, recent China purchase announcements and discussions of a trans-pacific trade partnership make us confident of having another strong year in trade. At the same time our domestic markets are expected to expand as well, with an improving economy, continued population of popular local and regional food systems and the development and the expansion of the bio-based products industry.

 

AND VILSACK SAID CONGRESS COULD HELP THE BIO-BASED PRODUCTS INDUSTRY WITH ATTENTION IN THE NEXT FARM BILL.

 

Vilsack: With the emergence of new ways to use crops, grasses, woody biomass and livestock waste to produce chemicals, polymers and fibers in thousands of biobased companies across rural America you can understand why I'm excited about the future of American agriculture and of rural America. Now as Congress considers the next farm bill efforts should be placed on programs and strategies to help this bio-economy take hold.

 

AND ALSO ON THE NEXT FARM BILL, VILSACK CALLED ON CONGRESS TO CONSIDER U-S AGRICULTURE'S LONG-TERM VIABILITY.

 

Vilsack: To attract and retain the next generation of farmers, we need to be far more creative in the crafting of this farm bill than we've been in past farm bills. We must make a commitment to the next generation of farmers and we must make that commitment as important to the nation's future as any other commitment we make to the future generations of scientists, engineers or teachers because after all nobody can do their job very well without food.

Leading Unified Communications Provider Helps Customers Position for Growth

DAVENPORT, IA - February 23, 2012 - Midland Communications, an industry leader in unified communications, announced today that the outlook for technology purchases by small to mid-sized (SMB) companies in 2012 is exceptionally positive. This outlook was confirmed by Technology Assurance Group (TAG), an international association of unified communications providers representing approximately $350 million in products and services. As a premier Member of TAG, Midland Communications is positioned as the dominant force in their marketplace and is able to better prepare and protect its customers for whatever the future holds.
Many small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are starting off the New Year by deploying advanced technology in order to secure a competitive advantage early on. Today's SMB needs to be more agile, efficient and better equipped to handle the challenges that 2012 will bring and many business owners are creating a gap between themselves and their competitors by implementing the technology offered by Midland Communications's. "Every sector is experiencing different growth rates, but when we step back and look at the big picture, it becomes clear that overall demand is up, and businesses need to have the tools necessary to gain a foothold in their industry," stated Dale Stein, Co-Founder of TAG.
Midland Communications's unique relationship with TAG, enables them to adopt cutting edge best business practices, deliver innovative programs, and partner with elite technology manufacturers and application service providers. Over the years, Midland Communications has leveraged this relationship to consistently deliver benefits to their customers that are simply unavailable to other technology providers. For example, Midland Communications is able to leverage the buying power of approximately 130 technology providers to receive deep discounts from manufacturers, and provide a lower cost to the customer. The bottom line of this partnership is that Midland Communications is better positioned to enhance employee productivity and increase profitability than any other technology provider in the market.
"We continue to be impressed with Midland Communications's stern commitment to their customers. At the end of the day, business owners are concerned with the bottom line and new technology is pointless if it doesn't increase your overall profitability," commented Stein. "Midland Communications has always focused on this fact and it shapes their recommendations and suggestions when working with their clients. As a result of this approach, their customers continue to thank them and I see a very bright future for Midland Communications," added Stein.
With growth opportunities on the horizon in 2012 many businesses are looking for ways to prepare for the large influx of sales they expect to see. This change will be driven by macroeconomic factors, but will be sustained by a business's ability to keep up with demand. Many businesses are investing heavily in technology and enlisting the help of elite technology providers like Midland Communications to make sure that whenever that wave of sales arrives, they're ready to ride it all the way to the bank.

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS

.Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.


ABOUT TECHNOLOGY ASSURANCE GROUP (TAG)

Technology Assurance Group, LLC (TAG) is an international organization of leading independently owned business communications companies. TAG provides its members with the competitive advantages necessary to achieve a dominant position in their marketplace. Members benefit from programs including strategic partnerships with communication solution providers, best business and management practices, and advanced sales training programs.  TAG's mission is to increase its Members' sales and profits through education and to ease their introduction of new technology to the marketplace by leveraging their combined intellect and purchasing power. For more information on TAG, please call 858-673-5800 or visit www.tagnational.com.


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PLATTEVILLE, WI (02/23/2012)(readMedia)-- University of Wisconsin-Platteville announced its 2011 fall semester Dean's List. Students receive this academic honor in the College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture and the College of Liberal Arts and Education must achieve a 3.75 grade point average and students in the College of Engineering, Math and Science must earn a 3.5 grade point average.

Among those who made the Dean's List were,

Cody Sheffler from Cordova, IL

Chris Henningsen from Long Grove, IA

Andrew Wright from Hampton, IL

Colten Bartholomew from Bettendorf, IA

Sarah Jacobs from Bettendorf, IA

Kelsey Rumler from Sherrard, IL

Michael Schmidt from Silvis, IL

Kaela Hoggard from Taylor Ridge, IL

Mary DePauw from Port Byron, IL

Joseph Fisher from Port Byron, IL

Gabrielle Sherrard from Bettendorf, IA

UW-Platteville is settled in a historic mining town on the Iowa and Illinois border and enrolls nearly 8,000 students. It is an institution whose mission is to produce intellectually astute individuals who will participate in society as competent professionals and knowledgeable citizens. For more information on the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, visit www.uwplatt.edu.

GHAZNI PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN (02/23/2012)(readMedia)-- Partnership has been essential to success in Iraq and Afghanistan, and this emphasis continued as Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter met with Polish troops here today.

Carter met with Polish Brig. Gen. Piotr Blazeusz, commander of Task Force White Eagle, Polish Col. Jan Rydz, deputy commander, and U.S. Army Col. Thomas Purple, Rochester, Ill. native and coalition deputy commander, at Forward Operating Base Ghazni to reaffirm the U.S. partnership with nations contributing to the effort in Afghanistan.

"Thank you very much ... to the Polish contingent here," Carter said. "You've been great partners right from the very beginning, and we are admiring of your professionalism and dedication."

Polish military leaders told the secretary they are working very closely with coalition troops from other nations, and there is a "very good partnership with U.S. forces in the area."

The group talked about logistics, building capacity in the area, construction and other operational issues. Following their discussions, Carter re-emphasized that the union between U.S. forces and Polish troops serves as "a great, great partnership."

Officials of the Illinois National Guard, which serves as part of Task Force White Eagle and has a state partnership with Poland, noted the partnership is extensive, as the Guard soldiers spend two months training in Poland before their six- to seven-and-a-half-month deployments.

"Chicago has the largest population of Polish in the world, superseding Warsaw," noted Army Maj. Rhonda Peterson, a logistics officer with the Illinois National Guard.

Carter showed his appreciation as the leaders exchanged gifts, and he spoke of the appreciation for the Polish troops' service.

"Thanks, once again," he said. "It's very clear this is a great partnership."

Recent media reports have drawn attention to instances of dangerous air quality, lack of standards 

 

Des Moines, IA - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) joined concerned parents and their children today on the steps of the Iowa state capitol to call on the state of Iowa to pass a law requiring indoor ice rinks to install air monitoring equipment to alert patrons to the presence of unhealthy levels of dangerous fumes, like carbon monoxide.

 

Recent media reports have drawn attention to numerous instances across the country of children getting sick after being exposed to dangerous levels of noxious gasses like carbon monoxide.  Just last fall in Iowa, several Des Moines-area children were hospitalized after being exposed to carbon monoxide at a local ice rink.

 

"Smoke detectors are required in Iowa homes and carbon monoxide detectors are almost as common," Braley said.  "Yet there is no requirement for carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in ice rinks where levels of toxic fumes can reach dangerous levels.

 

"It shouldn't take people getting sick and children going to the hospital to realize there's a dangerous situation at hand.  Air monitoring detectors should be standard equipment in Iowa ice rinks.  It's an inexpensive, common sense way to keep our kids safe and give parents peace of mind."

 

Only three states regulate air quality at indoor ice rinks - Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Minnesota.  Iowa has no indoor ice arena air monitoring requirement.

 

Data on the number of children hospitalized because of dangerous gasses at indoor ice rinks is hard to find because there is no national reporting requirement.  However, an April 2009 ESPN report found that in the previous six months, nearly 200 people had been sickened by carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, or other harmful emissions at indoor ice arenas.

 

Braley has visited several ice rinks across eastern Iowa to learn more about steps being taken to safeguard children, including rinks in Davenport, Dubuque, Waterloo, and Cedar Rapids.

 

In addition to the event at the state capitol today, Braley has sent a letter to state legislative leaders and the Iowa governor requesting action on the issue.  Full text of the letter follows; a copy of the letter can be downloaded at the following link: http://go.usa.gov/UDU

 

--

 

February 23, 2012

 

The Honorable Terry Branstad

Governor of Iowa

State Capitol

1007 East Grand Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50319

 

The Honorable Michael E. Gronstal                      

Majority Leader                        

Iowa Senate                        

Second Floor, State Capitol                       

Des Moines, IA 50319                         

 

The Honorable Jerry Behn

Minority Leader

Iowa Senate

Second Floor, State Capitol

Des Moines, IA 50319

The Honorable Kraig Paulsen                       

Speaker                       

Iowa House of Representatives               

Second Floor, State Capitol                       

Des Moines, IA 50319                         

 

The Honorable Kevin M. McCarthy

Minority Leader

Iowa House of Representatives

Second Floor, State Capitol

Des Moines, IA 50319

 

 

Dear Governor Branstad, Majority Leader Gronstal, Minority Leader Behn, Speaker Paulsen, and Minority Leader McCarthy,

 

I am writing today to urge you to enact legislation requiring the installation of air quality monitoring devices in Iowa's indoor ice arenas.  Recent news reports have shown numerous instances around the country of children getting sick as a result of poor air quality in indoor arenas. Just last year, young hockey players in Urbandale, IA were sent to the hospital as a result of poor air quality in the rink where they were practicing.

 

At the height of hockey season, we must work to ensure the safety of these facilities. Over the past week, I've had the opportunity to visit with ice rink managers, children and families in Waterloo, Davenport, Dubuque and Cedar Rapids to discuss the issue of ice rink safety.  In every place, I've seen managers working to ensure the safety of their facility, and I have faith that they have the best interests of their customers in mind. However, with no state guidelines, air quality monitoring and safety is inconsistent across the state as a whole.

 

I urge you to work together to enact legislation requiring monitoring of air quality in indoor ice rinks to reassure Iowa families that the facilities where they go for recreation are safe. Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island have enacted similar laws to ensure the safety of these facilities in their states. We have a responsibility to Iowa families to assure the safety of our children.

 

I appreciate your consideration of this request, and thank you for your continued work on behalf of Iowans.

 

Sincerely,

 

Bruce Braley

Member of Congress

 

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2012

Remember Joe the Plumber? We met him four years ago when he asked then-candidate Barack Obama about taxing small businesses.

New for 2012: Meet Joe the Builder. He's got something to say, too, but he's talking to voters.

Joe Scott, a successful Massachusetts general contractor, is the author of The Joe Dial (www.friendesha.com), a book that boils down observations gleaned from hundreds of thousands of business deals, negotiations and other interpersonal transactions into a simple rule for human analysis. It's easily applied to every person in the world and it's "a tried-and-true compass for navigating many a sticky social and family situation," Scott says.

Apply his Joe Dial to the election process and making a decision couldn't be easier.

Here's how it works:

"Every person falls into one of three basic categories," he says. "They're either a taker, a giver or a take-and-giver. Figuring out which category a person - or company, community, organization - falls under tells you what your basic approach for dealing with them should be."

Most people fall somewhere in the middle of the dial. But there are small clusters at both extremes.

• The pure taker: The person who thinks only of himself and what he can get out of another person or a situation. He's willing to do just about anything to get what he wants. The first signs of a taker are arrogance, lying, exaggerating, bullying and manipulating.

• The pure giver: The generous, empathetic, self-sacrificing person. Pure givers think only of others and will give everything they have, emotionally, physically and financially, to fill a perceived need.

• The giver-takers: They care about themselves and other people, to greater or lesser extents depending where they fall on the spectrum. They may be basically takers with an occasional giving impulse, or people who tend to be empathetic and sharing with a definite streak of selfishness. The most balanced, are people who bob back and forth between the least extreme qualities on the give and take scales: sharing, tolerant and helpful, but not necessarily self-sacrificing, or selfish, expectant and happy to receive but not bullies or thieves.

Scott says once you decide where on the scale a person falls, you know how to deal with them because you can anticipate how they'll respond.

Scott applied the Joe Dial to politics and found the takers are easily identified: They're voters who want something for nothing and the politicians willing to say and do anything to get votes.

"Don't vote for the politician whose message is basically, 'Vote for me, I'll give you free,' " Scott says. "They're the candidates who offer lots of freebies, promises they know they can't deliver. But, because they're takers, they don't think twice about lying to get what they want."

There may also be some extreme givers who believe everyone deserves to have certain things, whether or not they work for them.

"Unfortunately, politicians learned a long time ago that the easiest way to win votes is to promise people free stuff. Not only do they satisfy the existing takers, they create new ones, which means more votes," Scott says.

Giving more and more freebies -- housing, food, medical care -- is financially unsustainable, he says. Taxing the rich to feed the power ultimately saps the economy of investors and job creators.

Listen for the giver-takers, Scott says. They're the politicians who may see a need for government intervention but they recognize it must be paid for - by all who benefit. And they have a feasible plan for that.

"I don't advocate for a particular candidate or even a particular party," Scott says. "I'm just using the basic rule of human analysis that's helped me thrive as a builder and a real estate developer."

About Joe Scott

Joe Scott owns a multi-million-dollar construction and development company, Scott Construction, in Haverhill, Mass. He's a master carpenter, master mason and real estate developer who's also a boat captain, licensed jet pilot, lobsterman and father of five. Catch the popular "The Joe Dial Show" on YouTube.

TENTATIVE AGENDA
SCOTT COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
February 27 - March 2, 2012

Committee of the Whole - 8:00 am
Board Room, 1st Floor, Administrative Center

1. Roll Call: Sunderbruch, Cusack, Earnhardt, Hancock, Minard

Facilities & Economic Development

2. Approval of first of three readings of an ordinance to amend Chapter 13-34 of the
Scott County Code relative to designated speed limits on F58/200th Street, Walcott.
(Item 2)

3. Approval of contract bridge project on Scott Park Road over McDonald Creek.
(Item 3)

4. Approval of the first of two readings of an ordinance amendment to rezone 15 acres
(more or less) from A-G to R-1 located west of Great River Rd, south of Olethea Golf
Course in the SW¼ of the SW¼ of Section 14, LeClaire Township. (Item 4)

5. Approval of award of contract for design services for the Jail Roof Replacement
project. (Item 5)

Human Resources

6. Discussion of strategy of upcoming labor negotiations with the County's organized
employees pursuant to Iowa Code Section 20.17(3). - CLOSED SESSION

7. Approval of personnel actions. (Item 7)

Health & Community Services

8. Approval of signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Iowa Department of
Public Health relative to Sharepoint Contract Management Services. (Item 8)

9. Approval of Amended FY12 Budget Reductions for MH/DD Services as developed by
the MH/DD Advisory Committee. (Item 9)

10. Approval of FY13 Budget Reductions for MH/DD Services as developed by the
MH/DD Advisory Committee. (Item 10)

Finance & Intergovernmental

11. Approval of the abatement of delinquent property taxes as requested by the City of
Davenport. (Item 11)

12. Approval of Citrix Upgrade Professional Services. (Item 12)

13. Approval of budget amendment to the FY12 County budget. (Item 13)

14. Approval of FY13 County Budget. (Item 14)

15. Approval of the FY13 Iowa Department of Transportation Budget and Five Year
Construction Program. (Item 15)

16. Approval of classification and staffing adjustments as discussed during the FY13
Budget Review Process. (Item 16)

17. Approval of adjustment in salary for non-represented County employees for FY13.
(Item 17)

18. Approval of FY13 Compensation Schedule for County Elected Officials and Deputy
Office Holders. (Item 18)

19. Approval of FY13 Z Schedule. (Item 19)

20. Approval of appointment of Bill Blanche to Benefited Fire District #3 (Eldridge) and
Donald Mark DeWulf to Benefited Fire District #2. (Item 20)

21. Approval of American Legion, Larry Gronenwald Post #532 beer/liquor license.

Other Items of Interest

22. Consideration of appointments with upcoming term expirations for boards and
commissions. (3 month notice)

o Airport Zoning Commission (Needs 1 more female representative)
Lee Schneider (term expires 05-27-12)
o Veterans Affairs Commission (Needs 1 more female representative)
Arlen Beck (term expires 05-31-12)
Tyrone Orr (term expires 05-31-12)

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Regular Board Meeting - 5:30 pm
Board Room, 1st Floor, Administrative Center

Bettendorf – With a week off from school, area parents and kids are looking for fun and exciting activities during spring break. From March 11 - March 17 the Family Museum is offering seven days of just that: programs ranging from live music, live animals, science, and performance art. Events and performances are included with paid admission or Family Museum membership.

 

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

Jim Gill

Performance at 2:00 PM

Jim Gill, an award-winning musician and author, offers more than a show - each concert is an opportunity for family play! In concert, Jim strums energetic rhythms on his banjo while everyone claps, sings, dances and even sneezes along to silly and inspiring musical games!

 

MONDAY, MARCH 12

Comedy Sportz

Performance at 10:00 AM

Get ready for some laughs! The Comedy Sportz team from right here in the Quad Cities will take the stage at the Family Museum! The act-letes' hilarious audience-involved improvisation skits will have kids giggling!

Instrument Petting Zoo

Stop by anytime 1:00 - 3:00 PM

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and pet some instruments! Our friends from West Music are bringing along a sampling of instruments kids can try for themselves. It's a great way to pique a musical interest in young children.

 


TUESDAY, MARCH 13

Chasing4Life

Presentation at 10:00 AM

Are you and your family prepared in case a disaster strikes?  What do you do if a tornado is headed your way? How do your prepare your children without scaring them?  Experts in storm chasing get to the facts to educate you about disaster preparedness.

Niabi Zoo

Presentation at 2:00 PM

Meet some friendly critters from the Niabi Zoo!  A Zookeeper will bring a variety of animals for you to see, and they will share with us the zoo's role in animal conservation.

 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14 and THURSDAY, MARCH 15

Insect Zoo

Thursday: Zoo is open from noon - 2:00 PM with a presentation at 1:00 PM

Friday: Zoo is open from 10:00 AM - noon with a presentation at 11:00 AM

Do you love bugs? Come see, touch, and learn about all kinds of awesome insects with the Iowa State University Department of Entomology Insect Zoo! You'll meet insects found in Iowa and throughout the world.

 

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

Bubble Wonders: Anything Is Possible!

Performance at 10:00 AM

You won't want to miss this fun, inspiring, sticky, and educational show! Bubble Wonders is full of amazing tricks like the Bubble Caterpillar, the Bubble Volcano, the Dancing Bubble, a Bubble Merry-Go-Round, and much more!

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

Grossology!

Performances at 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM

Boogers, vomit, urine, sweat, pimples...nothing is off limits with Sylvia! Come prepared for a little bit of gross-out with a lot of education as to why this icky stuff is crucial to human health and well-being.

 

Sponsored by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs

The Family Museum inspires children and families to play and learn together! The Family Museum Foundation is a nonprofit organization that needs and appreciates support for early learning. Donate online at https://www.familymuseum.org/about_support_makeadonation.php.
KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (Feb. 23, 2012) - National Guard FLW College Fishing is headed to Table Rock Lake March 3 for the first of four stops in the Central Conference. Forty college teams will be competing for a top award of $5,000 and a berth in the Central Regional Championship tournament.
"Fishing is real good," said Chevy pro Dion Hibdon of Sunrise Beach, Mo. "They are catching some big weights on Table Rock right now. I think it is going to take in the mid 20-pound range to win.
"The bass are going to be suspended for the most part," Hibdon went on to say. "I would target channel swings and bluff ends using jerkbaits and swimming a grub. You're going to see some pretty awesome weights at this tournament."
According to Hibdon, the mild winter and warm temperatures have the fish biting well.
Anglers will take off from Port of Kimberling Marina located at 72 Marina Way in Kimberling City, Mo., at 7 a.m. Saturday. Weigh-in will also be at the marina beginning at 1 p.m. Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.
Schools competing in the Table Rock Lake tournament, which is hosted by the Port of Kimberling Marina, include :
Eastern Illinois University - Chase Sanford, Charleston, Ill., and Lee Buehnerkemper, Teutopolis, Ill.
Eastern Kentucky - Tyler Moberly, Berea, Ky., and Ethan Snyder, Vine Grove, Ky.
Georgetown College - Mike Huff, Corbin, Ky., and Nick Huff, Georgetown, Ky.
Grace College - Christopher Valentine, Warsaw, Ind., and Mike Depositar, Winona Lake, Ind.
Illinois State University - Dave Haag, Oswego, Ill., and Spencer Richardson, Danville, Ill.
Indiana University - Dustin Vaal, Bloomington, Ind., and Steven Bressler, Fremont, Ind.
Kansas State University - Ryan Patterson, Goddard, Kan., and Nathen Kozlowski, Junction City, Kan.
Marian University - Justin McDonald, Noblesville, Ind., and Joel Bone, Decatur, Ind.
MidAmerica Nazarene University - Jacob Johnson, Lenexa, Kan., and Ryan Rockwell, Des Moines, Iowa
Missouri State University - Brennan Halbersma, Springfield, Mo., and Joe McBride, Olathe, Kan.
Missouri University of Science and Technology - Scott Kuhl and William Kleine, both of Rolla, Mo.
Missouri Valley College - Paul Thomas, Marshall, Mo., and Kalen Brady, Rolla, Mo.
Morehead State University - James Martin, Carlisle, Ohio, and Brandon Johnson, Salt Lick, Ky.
Milwaukee School of Engineering - Scott Watry, Milwaukee, Wis., and Steven Digrazia, Mokena, Ill.
Murray State University - Justin Graben, Murray, Ky., and Ethan Hoggard, Almo, Ky.
Northern Illinois University - Jason Penuel and Steve McClone, both of Dekalb, Ill.
Northwest Missouri State University - Andrew Nordbye, St. Joseph, Mo., and Carter Gillespie, New Hampton, Mo.
Northwestern University - Jimmy Morrow, Arlington Heights, Ill., and Matthew Kestufskie, Evanston, Ill.
Purdue University - Ryan Spicer, Arcola, Ind., and Chris Kaiser, Carmel, Ind.
Saint Cloud State University - Nick Minell, Coon Rapids, Minn., and Anthony Skoglund, St. Cloud, Minn.
Southern Illinois University - Ryan Dunn, Harrisburg, Ill., and Brandon Ringer, Carbondale, Ill.
Southern Illinois-Edwardsville - Justin Skinner, Taylorville, Ill., and Brad Lemasters, Edwardsville, Ill.
Southeast Missouri State - Tim Randell and Adam Zielinski, both of St. Charles, Mo.
St. Ambrose University - Joe Bailey, Davenport, Iowa, and Tyler Boyle, Montgomery, Ill.
University of Dubuque - Marcus Prull, Monticello, Iowa, and Brian Swalley, Dubuque, Iowa
University of Illinois - Kyle Ekstrom, Poplar Grove, Ill., and Conrad Keefe, Villa Park, Ill.
University of Iowa - James Steffen, Iowa City, Iowa, and John Mercer, Burlington, Iowa
University of Minnesota - Joe Ponessa, Shoreview, Minn., and Mark Shirley, Saint Cloud, Minn.
University of Missouri - Duron Netsell and Chad Beck, both of Columbia, Mo.
University of Nebraska - Sean Mulholland, Deerfield, Ill., and William McCabe, Lincoln, Neb.
University of Nebraska-Omaha - Ben Milliken, Bennington, Neb., and Ryan Nieto, Fort Calhoun, Neb.
University of Saint Thomas - Andrew Heitzman, Andover, Minn., and Dan Reichert, St. Paul, Minn.
University of Wisconsin - Levi Warner, Shiocton, Wis., and Kevin Yeska, Madison, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh - Jordan Mortenson, Iola, Wis., and Chad Janke, Oshkosh, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville - Jacob Clisch, Reedsburg, Wis., and Alex Hansen, Plover, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point - Noah Kruzitski, Stevens Point, Wis., and Adam Kolbeck, Plover, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Stout - Ryan Helke, Menomonie, Wis., and Jeremy Anibas, Colfax, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater - Andrew Norton, Elkhorn, Wis., and Chunou Xiong, Milwaukee, Wis.
Winona State University - Cade Laufenberg, Stoddard, Wis., and Sam Schollmeier, Rochester, Minn.
Western Kentucky University - Cody Napier, Lewisburg, Ky., and Ryan Coleman, Utica, Ky.
FLW College Fishing teams compete in four qualifying events in one of five conferences - Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top five teams from each regular-season tournament will qualify for one of five regional championships. The top five teams from each regional championship will advance to the national championship.
College Fishing is free to enter and FLW Outdoors provides boats and drivers for each competing team along with travel allowances. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.
ABOUT FLW
FLW is the industry's premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport's richest payday and most coveted championship trophy - the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the "Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water," through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world's richest fantasy sports game - FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT, Quad Cities PBS is pleased to offer a $500 Broadcast Scholarship to students pursuing a career in broadcasting.

Last year's recipient Paul Strater said "As a nontraditional student, the financial realities of later life such as mortgages and car payments and the challenges of funding a college education without parental help or the loans available to parents are quite a challenge.  This scholarship will be a great help as I finish my degree at Western."

Interested students may log on to http://wqpt.org/scholarship for an application or by calling (309) 764-2400.  The criteria for the scholarship is:

v  Overall 2.5 GPA

v  Broadcast Classes 3.0 GPA (not applicable to incoming college freshmen)

v  Preference given to full-time students although part-time students may apply.                        

Applications will be accepted through May 18, 2012for this scholarship.  New and continuing students in any broadcast curriculum may apply.  WQPT will select the recipient prior to the fall semester.

WQPT General Manager, Rick Best said "The scholarship is just one of the ways that WQPT endeavors to be a community partner."

WQPT is a media service of Western Illinois University Quad Cities located in Moline, Illinois.

 

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