02 Sep 2011

Run with Carl Practice Runs Canceled

By Jamie Lange
We just received note from Pleasant Valley Schools that today's Run with Carl "I Can Run a Mile" practice runs have been canceled due to heat. They will not be rescheduled.

Race day forecast looks great! Families are encouraged to sign up at packet pick-up Friday and Saturday, Noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Bettendorf Life Fitness Center on Middle Road.

Run with Carl will be held Monday, Labor Day, September 5th at 7:30 a.m. To register, visit www.runwithcarl.com.
01 Sep 2011

Augustana College students to study in London

By readMedia

ROCK ISLAND, IL (09/01/2011)(readMedia)-- Forty-five Augustana College students are studying contemporary and historic Britain and Europe from the heart of one of the world's greatest cities, London. The Fall Term in London program offers students a chance to explore the area while studying with Augustana and British faculty.

From your area this includes:

Kayla Ferguson, a junior from, Orion, Ill. majoring in liberal studies.

Anna Tunnicliff, a junior from, Bettendorf, Iowa majoring in history.

Timothy Gillman, a senior from, Rock Island, Ill. majoring in geography.

John Peters, a senior from, Milan, Ill. majoring in history.

Laurel Williams, a senior from, Milan, Ill. majoring in communication sciences & disorders and English.

"London is a rich historical and cultural center," said Dr. Catherine Carter Goebel, professor and chair of art history at Augustana. "I particularly look forward to sharing its wonderful museums and fabulous art collections with our students. Studying art history through firsthand examination of some of the finest artwork in the world, as well as visiting relevant historic sites, is an exciting opportunity both for our Augustana students as well as their professor."

Joining Dr. Goebel in London will be Dr. Peter Kivisto, professor of sociology, anthropology and social welfare at Augustana. Five courses will be offered during the London term, including sociology and art history taught by Augustana professors, in addition to British history, theatre and contemporary politics taught by local faculty. Included with coursework and as part of the program are several group excursions in and around London, including guided tours of landmarks, museums, theatrical productions and a soccer match, as well as day trips to such historic sites as Stonehenge, Salisbury, Bath and Oxford.

Traveling around and learning more about Great Britain and Europe is what attracted Martin King, a senior geography major from Oswego, Ill., to sign up for the study-abroad program. While in London, students will live in student apartments in the Kensington neighborhood. They will be based in Glasgow during a one-week excursion in Scotland.

Of the 45 Augustana students enrolled in the London program, 39 applied for and received $2,000 through the college's Augie Choice program to help pay for expenses. Augie Choice provides students with the opportunity for the kinds of learning that will make them stand out when they start careers or go on to graduate school.

For more information, contact Keri Rursch, director of public relations, at (309) 794-7721.

01 Sep 2011

Area Artists Compete in World's Largest Art Competition

By Administrator
Dawn Wohlford-Metallo, Bettendorf , IA ; Lisa Higby-Lefevre and Kate Askegaard, Dixon , IL all entered and gained acceptance into the world's largest art competition, ArtPrize®, taking place in venues throughout Grand Rapids , Michigan from September 21 - October 9, 2011 .
ArtPrize® is an international competition with no jury or curator. The public votes on the top 10 pieces and eventually the overall winner. In its third year, ArtPrize® has become an unexpected phenomenon. Part arts festival, part social experiment, part civic project, the event overtakes an entire city bringing visitors in the hundreds of thousands. Venues and artists register and find each other through artprize.org.

Unlike any other event, ArtPrize® gives away the largest cash prize for an art competition--$250,000 to the winner, $484,000 total. The winner is decided solely by a public vote. The vote turns everyone from passive observer into active participant. Anyone 16 years of age or older with an email and valid government ID can vote at no charge, yet all voters must activate their voting status in person at the event. Yes, local residents wishing to support these regional artists will have to make the trip to Grand Rapids . Those making the trip will be immersed, enlightened and amazed by over 1500 works of art by artists from around the world, all within three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids .
The competition will be steep, yet Wohlford-Metallo, Higby-Lefevre and Askegaard all hope to make a name for themselves by participating in this competition.
States Wohlford-Metallo,
"The exposure alone is invaluable. When I attended ArtPrize® in 2010, I was the 1000th person to enter a particular venue on a particular afternoon. Multiply that by 19 days and you've got a lot of people seeing your work."
Wohlford-Metallo, Visual Art Director for Quad City Arts in Rock Island , creates sculptural works primarily with paper pulp she makes herself in her home studio. In the past year, she has shown her work at the Crystal Cork Art Quarterly in Dixon , IL , Art@ Rock River GAP in Rock Falls , IL , and Bucktown Center for the Arts in Davenport , IA.  Dawn's entry, "Compartmentalized States of Being" consists of 12 components, each cast from the same mould using handmade paper. The paper is then embellished with found objects and various surface techniques to illustrate a state of being or a state of mind.
Higby-LeFevre, artist and co-owner of Distinctive Gardens in Dixon , works in the pastel medium, most recently over-sized pastels of intricate abstraction.  She coordinates several local art venues including Dixon 's Second Saturdays Art Happenings, a monthly cultural event. Showing extensively in the region, she captured numerous awards including third place at Freeport Art Museum 's Regional Show 7 in Freeport , IL .  Her work is on continuous display at The Crystal Cork Wine Shoppe and Distinctive Gardens in Dixon .  Lisa's entry, "Precipice of Change" is a 2'x4' over-sized pastel depicting the brink of the Lower Falls in Yellowstone, National Park.  Using an abstract approach, the work when viewed from close range is shear abstract lines and shapes, but from afar is recognizable as the falls.
States Higby-LeFevre,
"ArtPrize® is like Second Saturdays on steroids.  Over 150 venues gather to
showcase artists for nineteen action packed days.  It's phenomenal."
Askegaard received her BFA in Sculpture in 2002 from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. After graduating, she worked creating patterns and molds for planters and fountains and helped create the ash urns in front of the Waldorf Astoria in New York City , and planters at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago Illinois .  She then went abroad, living in Ireland .  Upon return, she searched for a small town that had foundries and a strong art scene and found Dixon , IL .  She has shown at The Next Picture Show in Dixon, receiving an honorable mention for her work.  Kate's entry, "True Love" is a multi-panel, 2-D life-size stippling drawing of Michelangelo's "Pieta".  Using ten's of thousands of tiny, pain-staking dots, Kate created nine 19" x 24" panels for a final size of 5'x 5' with a Steadler .05 Pigment liner on 100s Rag paper.
States Askegaard,
"I can't wait to see all this great art and interact with so many artists."
For more information on ArtPrize®, and to view the three artists' entries, visit:  artprize.org.  For additional information:  Lisa Higby LeFevre website:  lhlefevre.com; Kate Askegaard Blog: katecreating.blogspot.com; Dawn Wohlford Metallo:http://wwww.theartfeed.com/profile/show/303
01 Sep 2011

Paul Campaign Applauds Boehner For Requesting Change of Day For Obama Joint Session Speech

By Ron Paul 2012 in Iowa
Paul initiated talk of objecting to President's call for a joint session
LAKE JACKSON, Texas - Today, the campaign of 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul released a statement applauding Speaker of the House John Boehner for requesting that President Obama change his plans for a joint session of Congress in order to give a speech laying out his economic plan on the same day as a Republican presidential debate. See comments from Paul campaign spokesman below.

"Speaker Boehner did the right thing, and we thank him for it," said Ron Paul 2012 Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton. "When this subject initially came up, it was Congressman Paul's campaign who initiated talk of objecting to the President's plan calling a joint session at this time and we are glad to see the Speaker of the House seize the initiative."

"We needed an economic plan from the President two years ago, but he has waited far too long to assert any sort of true leadership. Instead President Obama has continued to play politics and not deal with the real issues this country faces."
Authorized and paid for by Ron Paul 2012 PCC. www.RonPaul2012.com

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01 Sep 2011

ART GUMBO CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS FROM ARTS GROUPS OR ORGANIZATIONS

By Art Gumbo

[DUBUQUE, IA.] Art Gumbo, a quarterly soup dinner that supports local art projects with community-supported micro-funding, is now accepting applications from arts groups or organizations for the fall funding cycle.  Applications for Art Gumbo mini grants for the fall funding cycle are available now through Thursday, September 22. Application questions are available at artgumbodubuque.blogspot.com

Submission guidelines include the separation of individual artists and organizations or groups during funding cycles. Individual artists are not eligible to apply during the fall funding cycle. The first seven eligible applications received by 11:59 p.m. on September 22 will qualify to compete for funding.

Art Gumbo is an independent community-based initiative that funds local arts projects using money collected at quarterly soup dinners. During each Art Gumbo funding cycle, artists or arts organizations are invited to submit a brief project proposal that demonstrates an impact on the Dubuque community. The public is invited to attend and vote for their favorite proposal. A $10 donation at the door entitles the attendee to a locally prepared soup dinner and the opportunity to review all submitted proposals and to vote for their favorite. The Art Gumbo fund's nightly proceeds will be awarded to the proposal that gets the most votes. Art Gumbo sessions will be hosted at new locations each quarter featuring soup by a regional food source. The next Art Gumbo Soup Dinner is scheduled for Thursday, September 29, 6-8 p.m. at Voices Warehouse Gallery, 1000 Jackson Street in Dubuque. The evening will feature a farmers market soup created and donated by members of Green Dubuque, cold beverages by Dubuque County Fine Arts Society & Voices From The Warehouse, with a special musical guest and a birthday cake to celebrate the Art Gumbo project's first year.

 

For more information visit artgumbodubuque.blogspot.com or contact Paula Neuhaus or Megan Starr at art.gumbo.dbq@gmail.com.

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01 Sep 2011

Local Union Donates Thousands of Dollars in Man Hours to Barge Building

By Natalie Linville-Mass

Davenport, IA/ August 31st, 2011  - 12 fourth year carpenter apprentices and one instructor have just finished their 5 day stay aboard Living Lands & Waters (LL&W) new floating classroom last Thursday. These skilled workers are volunteers from the Carpenter Training Center of the Quad Cities and are among a group of 40 plus skilled craftsmen affiliated with Local Union 4 who have generously given their time and talent in the building of the newest barge in the LL&W fleet.

This new 150-foot long barge features a handicapped-accessible classroom, which can host up to 60 students at a time, as well as sleeping quarters for an 8 person LL&W crew. The new classroom will bring high school students on board for day long workshops on a number of different topics ranging from History to Biology to the Navigation of our waterways.  Living Lands & Waters has been conducting educational workshops since 2003, but this day long hands on experience could only be attended by teachers and instructors.  "We developed these workshops to give teachers a hands on look at our river environment with lessons they could take back to their students.  The instructors who attended were so engaged, but all said this would have much more of an impact if their kids could be on the barge for something like this," says Tammy Becker, coordinator of the LL&W's Educational Workshops.  Over the years, LL&W held 92 teacher workshops for more than 1,700 teachers and educators. There were over a 100 different presenters in these presentations and over 60 different topics covered. 

"We were approached by Living Lands & Waters to assist if we were interested. We never hesitated to volunteer, as a majority of our members enjoy time on the river hunting, fishing, boating, etc. Everyone already knew of   Chad   and what good things Living Lands & Waters are doing on our rivers. I think every person who has had a chance to see and hear about what this group does; be it river clean-ups to the tree planting projects to the educational seminars really got their eyes opened up to the magnitude and scope of what the organization is trying to accomplish, and is all about," said local union member Steve Flogel.

Over the past month, the local carpenters union has donated up to 750 man hours of free labor to LL&W. They have done the entire vapor barrier on the roof and the walls of the exterior, and helped with the siding, windows, doors, interior walls, exterior upper deck, sleepers and floor insulation. This week the trim and finish class has been doing the trim for the doors and windows, finishing the ceiling board installation, and starting the installation of the bamboo floor.  "We can't express how thankful we are for the  Union 's help.  Without them, this new barge would not be possible," expressed Chad Pregracke, founder of Living Lands & Waters.    

Chad Pregracke started Living Lands & Waters in 1998 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the beautification and restoration of America's major rivers and to the education of people about environmental issues. From his single boat beginning, LL&W has grown to an internationally known organization with a fleet of barges and workboats.  LL&W engages thousands of volunteers each year in river cleanups, hands-on environmental education workshops, the Great Mississippi River Cleanup, Adopt-a- River-Mile programs and the Million Trees Project. 

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01 Sep 2011

HUD SECRETARY ANNOUNCES DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR IOWA STORM VICTIMS

By HUD Public Affairs

Foreclosure protection offered to displaced families in two counties

WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Iowa and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes following last month's severe storms and flooding.

Yesterday, President Obama issued a disaster declaration for Dubuque and Jackson Counties. The President's declaration allows HUD to offer foreclosure relief and other assistance to certain families living in these counties.

"Families who may have been forced from their homes need to know that help is available to begin the rebuilding process," said Donovan. "Whether it's foreclosure relief for FHA-insured families or helping these counties to recover, HUD stands ready to help in any way we can."

HUD is:

Ø  Offering the State of Iowa and other entitlement communities the ability to re-allocate existing federal resources toward disaster relief - HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs give  the State and communities  the flexibility to redirect millions of dollars to address critical needs, including housing and services for disaster  victims. HUD is currently contacting State and local officials to explore streamlining the Department's CDBG and HOME programs in order to expedite the repair and replacement of damaged housing;

Ø  Granting immediate foreclosure relief - HUD granted a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures and forbearance on foreclosures of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured home mortgages; 

Ø  Making mortgage insurance available - HUD's Section 203(h) program provides FHA insurance to disaster victims who have lost their homes and are facing the daunting task of rebuilding or buying another home. Borrowers from participating FHA-approved lenders are eligible for 100 percent financing, including closing costs;

Ø  Making insurance available for both mortgages and home rehabilitation - HUD's Section 203(k) loan program enables those who have lost their homes to finance the purchase or refinance of a house along with its repair through a single mortgage. It also allows homeowners who have damaged houses to finance the rehabilitation of their existing single-family home; and

Ø  Offering Section 108 loan guarantee assistance - HUD will offer state and local governments federally guaranteed loans for housing rehabilitation, economic development and repair of public infrastructure.

Information on housing providers and HUD programs -The Department will share information with FEMA and the State on housing providers that may have available units in the impacted counties.  This includes Public Housing Agencies and Multi-Family owners.  The Department will also connect FEMA and the State to subject matter experts to provide information on HUD programs and providers.

Read about these and other HUD programs designed to assist disaster victims.

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01 Sep 2011

Gov. Pat Quinn Orders Illinois Guard Troops to Assist Vermont with Flooding

By readMedia

SPRINGFIELD, IL (08/31/2011)(readMedia)-- Governor Pat Quinn has ordered Illinois National Guard helicopters and troops to state active duty to assist with Vermont flood relief operations after receiving a request for assistance from the state. Approximately 95 members of the Illinois National Guard are now in Rome, N.Y., and will maintain their base of operations in the state while their helicopters fly into Burlington, Vt. From Burlington, they will be dispatched to deliver food, water and medicine to several towns in Vermont that are isolated by flooding.

"As our friends in Vermont face some of the worst flooding their state has seen in over a century, we want them to know we are here to help," Governor Quinn said. "I'm proud that the soldiers in the Illinois National Guard are able to respond so quickly to the needs of our fellow Americans. Illinois has one of the best emergency management programs in the nation and we are thankful to be able to lend a helping hand during this time of need."

The six UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, two CH-47 Chinook helicopters, pilots and crew, ground support vehicles, and command and control staff were prepositioned in New York Aug. 29 to 30 and have now received an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) request for assistance in Vermont. The EMAC is a nationwide system through which states affected by disasters can receive additional resources.

"We are proud to help the residents of Vermont in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene," said Maj. Gen. William Enyart, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard. "This again shows the dedication and professionalism of the men and women that make up the Illinois National Guard and their willingness to help their fellow Americans during a time of need."Units providing hurricane relief in Vermont include : Headquarters and Headquarters Company; 106th Aviation Battalion in Peoria and elements of Company A, 106th Aviation Battalion in Decatur; Company B, 106th Aviation Battalion in Chicago; Company C and Company D, 106th Aviation Battalion in Peoria; and 2nd Battalion, 238th General Support Aviation Battalion in Peoria.

"Through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, we're able to quickly coordinate the deployment of critical resources in response to requests from states affected by Hurricane Irene," said Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. "We are continuing to work closely with Vermont and other states to provide the assistance they need to save lives and cope with the devastation left behind by this massive storm."

Three regional coordinators from IEMA have been deployed in response to a request from the state of New York through the EMAC. They are working with the 24/7 planning section on developing plans to address hurricane response and recovery issues. New York and Vermont will reimburse Illinois for expenses related to both deployments.

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Starr Ivey, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ The Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment in Peoria convoy arrives at Griffiss Airfield, Rome, N.Y., Aug. 28, in support of flood operations for Hurricane Irene.

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Starr Ivey, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ Pfc. Cresean J. Sweezey-Errar, of Edwardsville, a Blackhawk crew chief with the Illinois National Guard's Company A, 106th Aviation in Decatur, prepares for a flood relief mission, Aug. 30. in Rome, N.Y.

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Starr Ivey, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ Two Illinois National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopters in Rome, N.Y., Aug. 30 for flood relief operations.

For more information and photos, please contact the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office at ngilstaffpao@ng.army.mil.

Permalink: http://readme.readmedia.com/Gov-Pat-Quinn-Orders-Illinois-Guard-Troops-to-Assist-Vermont-with-Flooding/2986333

 

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01 Sep 2011

LE CLAIRE MAN WINS $50,000 LOTTERY PRIZE

By Amy Garringer

DES MOINES, Iowa - A Le Claire man said he never expected to win a $50,000 prize while playing a random lottery scratch game.  

Jack Gibbs, 71, said he plays all kinds of scratch games, and just happened to choose the "MONOPOLYTM" ticket a few days ago when he discovered he'd won a top prize.  

"I didn't believe it when I saw the numbers but I had the lady run the numbers on the computer and she verified them," Gibbs said.  

Gibbs scratched his ticket while in Slagle's Grocery, 1301 Eagle Ridge Road in Le Claire. He said he was alone, but knew several people in the store.  

"I didn't know whether to believe it or not. I didn't get excited until I saw that computer printout," Gibbs said.  

Gibbs said he's told most of his family and friends about his big win.  

"Le Claire is a small town, so when you win something like this, they know it before you even get home," Gibbs said with a laugh.  

Gibbs said people are reluctant to believe him at first because he likes to joke around, but he's been showing them his proof.  

"When they do [believe me] their mouths hang open and they say, 'Well, you got lucky this time!'" Gibbs said. "It just so happened my number came up."  

Gibbs plans to use some of his winnings to do home renovations as well as purchase a newer car.  

Gibbs, who is retired, claimed his prize Monday at the Iowa Lottery's regional office in Cedar Rapids.  

MONOPOLY is a $5 scratch game. Players win a prize by matching any of "your numbers" to any of the "winning numbers." If they find the "top hat" symbol they win double the prize shown. There are also three bonus areas where players can win $10, $25 or $50 instantly.  

Sixteen top prizes are still up for grabs in MONOPOLY as well as 241 prizes of $1,000, more than 950 prizes of $200 and more than 2,400 prizes of $100.

Players can also Play It AgainTM if they don't win on their MONOPOLY scratch tickets. Enter non-winning MONOPOLY tickets in the Lottery's VIP Club between now and noon on Sept. 6 for a chance to win one of eight exciting getaway prize packages in the "Great Iowa Getaway" promotion.

The Great Iowa Getaway cities include : Boone/Ames, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Dubuque, Mason City, Moravia, Okoboji and Storm Lake. Visit ialotteryvip.com for complete details and rules.

Players who enter their non-winning MONOPOLY tickets in the VIP Club will also receive Points For Prizes™ points just like they do on any other eligible non-winning Iowa Lottery instant-scratch ticket. They can then use those points to pick out prizes in the online store. 

Since the lottery's start in 1985, its players have won more than $2.7 billion in prizes while the lottery has raised more than $1.3 billion for the state programs that benefit all Iowans.

Today, lottery proceeds in Iowa have three main purposes: They provide support for veterans, help for a variety of significant projects through the state General Fund, and backing for the Vision Iowa program, which was implemented to create tourism destinations and community attractions in the state and build and repair schools.

 

The MONOPOLY name and logo, the distinctive design of the game board, the four corner squares, the MR.MONOPOLY name and character, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board and playing pieces are trademarks of Hasbro for its property trading game and game equipment. © 2011 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Licensed by Hasbro. © 2011 Iowa Lottery. All Rights Reserved.

 

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01 Sep 2011

Happy Joe's New Joegurt Concept Opens Second Locatio

By Kristel Ersan

Happy Joe's has launched a new frozen yogurt concept, appropriately named Joegurt. Joegurt was first introduced at the Bettendorf location June 17th and has been receiving rave reviews. Now the company has opened the second Joegurt location in the upper level at the Happy Joe's located at 201 W. 50th Street in Davenport. Joegurt is real frozen yogurt that tastes like decadent ice cream. Both locations offer 10?12 flavors and 5?6 twist options. Some of the flavors offered are Tahitian Vanilla, Strawberry Sensation, Harvest Peach, Cookies 'n Cream, Red Velvet Cake, Birthday Cake, Cappuccino, and a non?dairy Orange Sorbet. Many of the flavors offered are also gluten?free. Joegurt contains probiotics which are healthy bacteria that are good for general digestive health. It also has fewer calories and less cholesterol than ice cream. Kristel Whitty?Ersan, Marketing Director for Happy Joe's, stated, "This is basically like really good ice cream without the guilt! Our guests seem to love it and we've seen many return visits just for the Joegurt."

The way Joegurt works is you fill your own cup with the Joegurt flavor(s) of your choice and then visit a toppings bar where you can add fresh fruit, candies, granola, nuts, and cookies, and there are three flavors of Ghirardelli syrups available. Guests weigh their Joegurt creations and pay a per?ounce price. Jenny Culp, Head Coach of the W. 50th Street location stated, "The kids love to go through the line and make their own creations. It is fun for them to make their own choices."

Guests who would like to try a sample of Joegurt can opt into Happy Joe's new Mobile Club by texting HJ26 to 87365. They will receive a coupon for a free Joegurt at Happy Joe's located at 50th and Welcome Way.

Happy Joe's new Joegurt concept is the only one of its kind in the Quad City area. The company plans to open the next Joegurt concept in Cedar Rapids.  

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