For the fifth consecutive holiday season, The Hungry Hobo restaurants in the Quad Cities will partner with The Salvation Army by collecting donations in the iconic Red Kettles throughout the Red Kettle Campagin and into January.

But this year, a 12^th kettle has been added in their new LeClaire location complete with a beautiful riverfront view!

These smaller kettles, all donated by The Hungry Hobo, will sit on the countertops of all local Hungry Hobo restaurants collecting change and dollar bills. It is another example of a simple act that can help a person or family in crisis. "Every year, the Hungry Hobo customers astound us with their generosity," states Holly Nomura, Development Director.

When you see a counter kettle at your favorite Hungry Hobo location, please give generously and make sure to thank them for hosting the kettle. "The Hungry Hobo is honored to be able to partner with The Salvation Army to help the needy throughout the Quad-City area," said Pryce T. Boeye, President, CEO of The Hungry Hobo.

In fact, 82 cents of every dollar you put into the counter kettle sustains The Salvation Army's life-transforming programs which include shelter, food and clothing for individuals and families with no where else to turn.

Please dine at the following eleven locations where you can find Salvation Army counter kettles:

The Twelve Hungry Hobo Locations are:

Bettendorf: 2320 Spruce Hills Drive

Davenport: 4810 Elmore Avenue, 903 E. Kimberly Rd. (Old Town), 1432 W. Locust St., and 1640 W. 53^rd Street

LeClaire: 1109 Canal Shore Drive

Moline: 4101 44^th Avenue, 1635 Ave. of the Cities (Browning Field)

East Moline: 4117 Kennedy Drive (Kennedy Square), 1842 18^th Avenue

Milan: 902 W. 4^th Street

Rock Island: 2532 18^th Avenue

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FCoe Contact: Holly Nomura

Date:  (563) 271-7933

Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing with Attorney General Eric Holder, Nov. 8, 2011

"One-Sided Outrage"

Senator Schumer: "What I am getting at here, and why I think it's important to have answers to this question, is because there's been a selective way in which this investigation has been pursued so far.  It's sort of one-sided outrage about the whole issue, when we know now that it began, or its progenitor began, before you took office, before President Obama took office."

FACT

As early as March 2011, Senator Grassley's staff sought information on Operation Wide Receiver from a gun dealer involved in the operation.  On September 28, 2011?before the Justice Department had produced any documents related to Operation Wide Receiver?Senator Grassley's staff requested briefings on other cross-border events, which it is now clear included Operation Wide Receiver and the Hernandez investigation.  The Justice Department indicated on September 30 that it would not be "planning additional briefings on other matters at this time."

Joins Volunteers at Greater Chicago Food Depository

CHICAGO - November 22, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today joined volunteers with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to encourage support of food pantries across Illinois this holiday season. According to Feeding Illinois, the state's eight food banks serve approximately 1.4 million individuals per year with 42 percent being children.

The holiday season is a time to be thankful for what we have and to give back to our less fortunate neighbors," Governor Quinn said. "I encourage people as they shop for their holiday meals to include a few items to donate to the members of our communities who are in need."

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is a nonprofit food distribution center that provides food to more than 142,000 people each week through a network of 650 soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters. For more information about current needs and other ways to assist in the Chicago area, visit www.chicagofoodbank.org.

Citizens throughout the state can help their local food banks by visiting www.FeedingIllinois.org where they can find information about hunger in their communities, including a county by county breakdown of agencies served by regional food banks.

Earlier this year, Governor Quinn appointed 22 people to the Illinois Commission to End Hunger which will explore how Illinois' facilities may better coordinate and gain access to federal funding to meet those needs. It will indentify barriers to access and develop sustainable policies and programs to overcome those barriers. The commission will also promote and facilitate public-private partnerships to augment services.

New Study Finds Economic and Political Uncertainty Top Impediments to Small-Business Growth

WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 22, 2011 ? A new study examining impediments to growth in the small-business sector reveals that 72 percent of small-business owners would like to expand by adding employees within the next five years, but various impediments are currently standing in their way.

According to Growth - External Factors, a report prepared by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Research Foundation, uncertainty and weak sales are the two primary impediments to small-business growth.

"There is no question that small businesses are responsible for a significant portion of the job creation in our economy," said William J. Dennis, report author and senior fellow at the NFIB Research Foundation. "Their growth and success is often contingent upon a litany of factors beyond their control - but within the purview of policy-makers in Washington. Impediments to growth may not be easily overcome, but if we are ever to bridge the gap between desired and actual growth, government officials must look at the problems small businesses face. Understanding the challenges should help with the formulation of policies that would help them to thrive."

The study found that business uncertainty and weak sales?identified as the two primary impediments to small-business growth? are currently limiting the ability of many owners to expand. While economic concerns rank high in the minds of owners, a large number of small businesses also report that uncertainty is a significant factor in making business decisions. Not surprisingly, the single most important indicator that would renew small-business owner confidence in business conditions is increased sales in their businesses. This is a fact supported by NFIB's monthly Small-Business Optimism Index report, which has identified poor sales as the top business concern for small firms for 16 quarters running.

Other notable survey findings include :

• Uncertainty is a growth impediment impacting 61 percent of small employers; only 25 percent say uncertainty does not impact them. However, owners of the smallest firms and owners of the young firms were more likely to identify uncertainty as a concern than owners of larger small firms and more established firms. And while the majority of small employers who believe that uncertainty is a hurdle think of it as economic in nature (83 percent), a comparatively large number term their uncertainty as related to political questions. An extraordinary 51 percent who think uncertainty is an impediment to growth (38 percent of the small-employer population) blame the current political situation at least in part as obstructing their growth.
• While the adverse impact of regulation is often challenging to identify, 40 percent of small employers say that regulatory or legal issues are an impediment to growth. The complex labyrinth of regulations as opposed to a specific regulation or set of regulations was more often cited as an obstacle, with 63 percent of this group (31 percent of the population) reporting that a current investment or project was impacted by a regulatory matter. One-quarter of those who find regulations to be a burden either cancelled a project scheduled for the next six months or abandoned investment and/or project plans.
• Forty-one (41) percent reported the lack of finance as an impediment to growth and 19 percent ranked it a serious matter. Though 15 percent of small employers asserted that the lack of finance was their biggest obstacle to growth, 49 percent termed it a minor or no obstacle. More than half (53 percent) of small firm owners surveyed think that internally generated cash flows will be their most important source of financing desired investment over the next five years. Bank loans will be the second most common source. However, 33 percent of those identifying lack of finance as an impediment to growth say that existing financial obligations are "seriously constraining" their ability to finance desired business investment and another 44 percent say that it is constraining.
• With the unemployment rate near 10 percent, finding skilled workers is still a struggle for small-businesses. Sixty-one (61) percent of those surveyed (24 percent of the total population) said the lack of skilled employees is an impediment to growth and indicated that they would hire at least one additional employee at the current market wage rate in the next six months if they could find people with appropriate skills. Over 37 percent (9% of the population) would employ more than one.
• Just 15 percent of small-business owners cite the lack of a strong management or advisory team as an impediment to growth. Of the group currently possessing a management team, 47 percent are highly confident their current team can provide the necessary assistance to reach the firm's growth objectives in the next five years. Most citing this impediment want to add management employees rather than to change the ones they have.

The latest NFIB Small Business Poll, Growth - External Impediments, is available at http://www.nfib.com/growthstudy.

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