CHICAGO - November 3, 2011. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon today pledged to work with state agencies and Scott Air Force Base leadership to identify available resources for 110 civilian employees whose positions at the military facility are being eliminated.

Simon, who visited the base in September, learned of the cuts Wednesday evening from Col. Michael Hornitschek, commander of the 375th Air Mobility Wing at Scott Air Force Base. As chair of the state's Interagency Military Base Support and Economic Development Committee (IMBSEDC), Simon offered to work with Col. Hornitschek to identify resources that could help the displaced individuals and the base.

"Scott Air Force Base is an economic engine in Illinois, and I am disappointed that the Air Force had to make this decision," Simon said. "As a native of Troy, a community near Scott Air Force Base where many citizens are employed by the base, I understand the social and economic impact these changes will have in the Metro East region and beyond. The state will use its resources to help get displaced workers back on the job."

Scott Air Force Base announced that 321 positions will be eliminated in response to a Department of Defense directive to freeze civilian job growth. Of those 321 positions, 122 were already vacant, 49 are held by employees who will voluntarily retire or separate from federal service by the end of December, and 40 are employees who will be moved from eliminated positions into other positions. This leaves 110 eliminated, occupied positions with employees who have not applied for incentive programs or for which no matching vacancy has been identified at this time, according to the base.

As chair of the IMBSEDC, Simon is visiting each of the state's military installations to learn about the base's operations, their impact on the state economy and relationship with local communities. The committee was established in 2005 in response to nationwide base closures, and it continues to make recommendations to local, state and federal policymakers on retention, realignment and reuse efforts.

New traveling exhibition explores the influence of Jewish culture and history in the work of renowned illustrator Maurice Sendak.

Moline, Illinois - "In a Nutshell: The Worlds of Maurice Sendak," a traveling exhibition opening at the Moline Public Library on Wednesday, December 28th, reveals the push and pull of New and Old Worlds in Sendak's work and shows how Sendak's artistic journey has led him deeper into his own family's history and his Jewish identity.

Maurice Sendak is best known as the illustrator of more than 100 picture books, including

Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen. He was born to Polish immigrants in Brooklyn in 1928, and his childhood was typically American in a number of ways. At the same time, he became fascinated as a child with the worn black-and-white photographs of his European relatives, and the influence of both of these worlds - the threads of Jewish family, geography, and culture - can be seen in his imaginative works.

The exhibit is an exploration of Sendak's illustrations and picture books, revealing connections between these iconic works and Sendak's childhood, family, and the popular culture of the time. The colorful exhibit panels feature illustrations of ferocious creatures, curious children and vibrant neighborhoods, alongside thematic explorations of the Jewish culture and history - and Sendak's own family experience - that influenced Sendak's work.

"In a Nutshell" was organized by the Rosenbach Museum & Library, Philadelphia, and developed by Nextbook, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Jewish literature, culture, and ideas, and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The national tour of the exhibit has been made possible by grants from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Righteous Persons Foundation, the David Berg Foundation, and an anonymous donor, with additional support from Tablet Magazine: A New Read on Jewish Life. The exhibit was curated by Patrick Rodgers of the Rosenbach Museum & Library.

The Moline Public Library is sponsoring free programs and other events for the public in connection with the exhibition. Contact 309-524-2470 or visit www.molinelibrary.com for more information. "In a Nutshell: The Worlds of Maurice Sendak" will be on display at the Moline Public Library until February 24th, 2012.