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"The QC Celebrates History at New Location"

Royalty, comedy swordsmen and pirates will invade the Quad Cities on October 9/10th as the 6th annual FOUR KINGDOMS RENAISSANCE & PYRATE FAIRE sets up on new grounds with a different look on the back fields of Rock Island's Camelot KOA Campgrounds.

This year's edition of the festival will be particularly different as it's under the management of veteran Renaissance faire performer and staffer Bruce Eyton of Minneapolis. His SwordintheStone Productions is pulling together a wide variety of stage acts, artisan merchants, educational demonstrators and comic village characters who will bring the virgin woodland setting to life.

Eyton, himself, is a fencing instructor and stage combat professional who has had several of his A-list comedy shows toured around the country.

Gregory Schmidt of Festivals International and publisher of the Regional Renaissance Reporter reports, "Bruce Eyton has the spirit and gumption to enhance this event by virtue of being one of the most avid Renaissance fest performers and Medieval faire supporters that I know. I'm confident that his re-branding of the Quad Cities history event will be a success."

The move to the back woods and open prairie acres behind the KOA Camelot main property will provide the Renaissance/Pyrate faire with a more authentic setting for a royal festival celebration. It also gives the incoming pirates a waterfront atmosphere.

The Four Kingdoms Renaissance and Pyrate Faire will run on Columbus Day Weekend (Saturday, Oct 9 & Sunday, Oct 10) from 11am to 6pm as a "rain or shine" event.

It will take place at 2311 78th Avenue West in Rock Island, Illinois, on the undeveloped grounds behind the Camelot KOA Campgrounds with plenty of free parking.

Admission will be $10 at the gate for adults ($9 in advance and $15 for 2-day pass)) with military personnel, seniors & students at $7. Kids under 6 are free and there are group discounts.

For further event information check www.fourkingdoms.com or contact info@fourkingdoms.com (612) 356-4966.

For location and camping information go to www.riqckoa.com or contact #309-787-0665 (888) 562-4502.

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September 28, 2010

(Rock Island, IL.) Fourteenth Circuit Chief Judge Jeffrey W. O'Connor along with Circuit Clerk Lisa Bierman announced the opening of a new internet-based legal self-help center for lower income individuals who cannot find an attorney to represent them in civil matters in court. The new center will be located in the Circuit Clerk's Office, General Division on the Third Floor of the Rock Island County Courthouse. The center will be available during regular business hours. Individuals who have computers connected to the internet can access the materials on the Rock Island County Legal Self-Help Center at http://rockisland.illinoislegalaid.org. The center is available online twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week.

"With high unemployment, we are seeing a steady increase in the number of individuals who are forced to come to court without an attorney because they do not have the money to hire one," said Chief Judge O'Connor. "We know that people are better off in court with a skilled attorney," he said. "The reality is, however, that many people cannot pay an attorney to handle their case nor can they find a legal aid attorney to help them. Prairie State Legal Services is overwhelmed with requests for representation," Judge O'Connor said. "While the legal self-help center is not an adequate substitute for an attorney, it does provide valuable legal information that individuals can use to present their case to the judge more effectively," he said. "We hope that unrepresented people
will use this new resource to make their court experience less threatening and more comprehensible," he said.

"While the Circuit Clerk's Office works closely with the judges and the court system, we are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice. People often come first to the Circuit Clerk's Office looking for help with their legal problems when they cannot find a lawyer. We are pleased to have a place to refer these people to get the legal information that they need at no cost to them," said Circuit Clerk Lisa Bierman. "We are providing a public access computer in the General Division of the Circuit Clerk's Office for people to use who do not have a computer at home. The legal self-help center can also be accessed
from any computer with internet access including public access computers at our local public libraries," she said.

"Coming to court without an attorney can be both intimidating and frustrating. All too often people have only a vague idea about how the court system works and what facts need to be presented to the judge," said Joseph A. Dailing, Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition for Equal Justice. "The legal  information on the website, which is written by Illinois attorneys, will give people information about their legal problem as well as legal pleadings to file in court," he said. "Wherever possible we encourage people to find an attorney to help them. The Circuit Clerk's Office will begin handing out a sheet listing information about sources of legal representation," he said. "But inspite of these efforts, some people won't be able to find an attorney and will need to
represent themselves in court. The legal self-help center can make that process less mysterious and less frustrating," he concluded.

"We provide representation and advice to as many low income people as we can but our staff is limited and we cannot help everyone who needs representation, even with the volunteer lawyer program," said Gretchen Farwell, Managing Attorney of the Rock Island Office of Prairie State Legal Services. "For those who we cannot help, the Rock Island County Legal Self-Help Center will provide useful information if people take the time to prepare for their court hearing," she said.

The internet-based legal self-help center provides legal information and court pleadings on a broad array of simpler civil legal problems. The website also has videos explaining the court system and how to go to court. The front page of the website features a short welcoming video by Fourteenth Circuit Chief Judge Jeffrey W. O'Connor. It also displays the hours of operation of the center and the location of the center in the courthouse. The homepage features a list of six of the most common legal problems. A search bar at the bottom allows users to search for other legal information.

The legal self-help center was developed by a broad-based collaboration of people and organizations in Rock Island County including the judiciary, the Trial Court Administrator, the Circuit Clerk's Office, Family Resources Domestic Violence Services Program and Prairie State Legal Services. The Illinois Coalition for Equal Justice and Stacie Colston, Outreach Coordinator for Illinois Legal Aid Online, provided technical support and assistance to the planning committee. Illinois Legal Aid Online, an Illinois nonprofit organization, operates and maintains the underlying website for the legal self-help center.

The Rock Island County Legal Self-Help Center is the forty-ninth such center to open in Illinois since 2007. A grant from the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation through Prairie State Legal Services provided the start up funding for the new legal self-help center. The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation receives it funding through an appropriation from the Illinois General Assembly.

For further information, contact Victoria A. Bluedorn, Trial Court Administrator at 309.558.3289.



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Greetings!

What brought about the Twilight craze?  Why are so many enthralled with the series Trueblood?  The simple answer...Dracula.  The Bram Stoker classic Gothic tale invented and popularized the vampire.  The Showboat is taking this classic tale and bringing it to the stage during the Halloween season.
The cast for the Showboat's Dracula is spectacular.  An entire local cast with Doug Kutzli of Dewitt in the title role of Dracula. John VanDeWowstyne of Geneseo brings Dr. Seward, Dracula's neighbor to the stage.  Tanya Smith of Gooselake plays Lucy, the afflicted fiance of Seward.  Mary Pirch of Camanche portrays the chaperoning Aunt of Lucy.  Haley Courter of Clinton sweeps the stage as Seward's house keeper, Abigail,  Cole Rauch of Fulton plays the ever strange Renfield and Erica Vandervelde of Clinton plays the wise Van Helsing.

This show will surely get everyone in the Halloween mood.

Dracula opens October 15 and runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 3:00.  Tickets are available at the Showboat Box Office on Fridays from 4-7 and Saturdays and Sundays from Noon to 4 or online at www.clintonshowboat.org. Tickets are $15 and discounts are available for groups over 20 and school
groups.
Sincerely,
Patrick Stinson
Clinton Area Showboat Theatre

WHAT:

Noodles & Company will donate 10 percent of sales to support "Wrap Your Own-Iowa Grown", an initiative of the Iowa Farm to School Program

WHEN:

Monday, October 11, 2010

11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

WHERE:

Noodles & Company - Davenport

5345 Elmore Avenue

Davenport, IA  52807

BACKGROUND:

Noodles & Company features made-to-order noodles, soups and salads inspired from around the world and strive to always nourish and inspire the individuals within the communities it serves.  To help reach this goal, community involvement is an important part of how each restaurant does business in each individual community in which it operates.  Noodles & Company works with a variety of partners including schools, high school and college student organizations, non-profits supporting the arts and a range of events that promote healthy, active lifestyles.

"Wrap Your Own-Iowa Grown" is an initiative of the Iowa Farm to School Program that was started in the fall of 2009. It has continued and is a great opportunity for schools, students, teachers, parents, and the communities to get involved and promote Iowa producers and the Iowa economy, not to mention to encourage healthy eating habits for Iowa children. The goal of this initiative is to promote the purchase of locally-grown vegetables and products to create Iowa grown wraps. This is also an opportunity for students to eat something healthy with great Iowa fixins.

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Perioperative nurses everywhere are being celebrated for their important role and commitment to safe patient care during the annual Perioperative Nurse Week, Nov. 8-14. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), a 40,000 member strong organization with state and local chapters nationwide, supports operating room nurses in hospitals and outpatient surgery centers.

Perioperative nursing is a specialized area of nursing practice, providing nursing care to surgical patients before, during, and after surgery. As a fundamental member of the surgical team, the perioperative registered nurse works in collaboration with other health care professionals which may include the surgeon, anesthesia provider, surgical assistant, and other assistive personnel.

Perioperative nursing requires a unique and highly-specialized skill set gained from specialized training and education. As a perioperative nurse, I am responsible for planning and directing all nursing care for patients who undergo invasive surgical procedures, and I serve as the patient's advocate while they are powerless to make their own decisions.

If you or someone you love had a surgical procedure, the perioperative RN was directly responsible for you or your loved one's well-being throughout the operation.  While all of the other well-qualified medical professionals are focused on their specific duty, the perioperative RN focuses on the patient. By employing their critical thinking, assessment, diagnosing, outcome identification, planning, and evaluation skills, the RN circulator directs the nursing care and coordinates activities of the surgical team for the benefit of the patient.

We want to come from behind the masks and the closed doors to let you know that our nurses are dedicated to working hard to protect you, our patients, when you are most vulnerable. We are your advocate using evidence based interventions to provide superior patient care. Join in celebrating the perioperative nurse in your life during the 2010 Perioperative Nurse Week.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that he will visit the Quad Cities area on Monday to meet with Iowans and visit local facilities.  His public schedule will focus on national safety and economic development and will include a visit to the Rock Island Arsenal, meetings with military officials, a Medals Presentation and a tour of an aerospace manufacturer.  

Details of Harkin's official public schedule are below.

Monday, October 4, 2010

8:45 AM - Harkin Will Visit Rock Island Arsenal
Rock Island, IL

The Rock Island Arsenal is home to 13,000 jobs in the Quad Cities region, and the installation is currently home to more than 70 Department of Defense, federal and commercial tenant organizations.  While there, Harkin will meet with Major General Yves Fontaine, top ranking military official on the installation.  The Senator will be briefed by the Rock Island Arsenal Development Group about the Army Arsenal Support Program Initiative (ASPI), which promotes the commercial use of underutilized space at the facility.  Harkin has long worked to provide financial support for the Arsenal to create economic opportunities in the Quad Cities area and to help keep the nation safe.

10:30 AM - Harkin Visit with Lane Evans Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center
Rock Island Arsenal

Senator Harkin will visit the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center, which will be re-dedicated on October 16th to honor his long-time friend and congressional colleague Lane Evans.  Congressman Lane Evans is a Marine veteran and a strident advocate for our military men and women.  It is equally fitting that this building is located on the Rock Island Arsenal, which benefited from Congressman's Evan support. A tour of the facility will be lead by Lt. Commander Lionel Rincon.  While there Senator Harkin, a Navy veteran, will tour the facility which helps prepare Navy and Marine enlisted for duty.  The building includes a wellness center, training facilities and a collection of Navy and Marine memorabilia.

11:00 AM - Harkin Will Attend a Medals Presentation
National Cemetery
Rock Island Arsenal

Senator Harkin will be joined by Major General Yves Fontaine in the presentation of military serve medals to the family Army Sgt. Timothy Spear. Kathleen and Kaitlin Spear will accept six medals awarded to their husband and father who passed away in December 2009.   Sgt. Spear served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970, earning the Army Commendation Medal; National Defense Service medal; Vietnam Service Medal with double Bronze Star; Vietnam Campaign Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Device; and Expert Badge: Auto Rifle Bar , Grenade Bar and Rifle Bar.  Senator Harkin assisted the family in obtaining the medals from the National Personnel Record Center as part of his constituency services. 

1:45 PM - Harkin will Visit Cobham Life Support
2731 Hickory Grove Road
Davenport

Cobham Life Support designs and manufactures parts of military equipment aimed at keeping service members safe.  In 2008, one of the affiliates of Cobham decided to relocate their aerial refueling unit from California to Davenport.  This move will bring an additional 200 jobs to the Davenport facility over the first couple of years.  Harkin will tour the recent plant expansion to accommodate this new business.  Harkin has supported Cobham in his role as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Harkin will tour the plant and visit with workers and members of the Machinists Union, Local 388 and 1191.

DAVENPORT, IOWA - New Ground Theatre is proud to announce its 10th Anniversary Season 2010-2011. New Ground, whose home is the Village Theatre in the Village of East Davenport was the pioneer for small theatre companies in the Quad Cities.

"We are proud of the fact that we continue to produce quality plays after ten years and we are particularly grateful to the Riverboat Development Authority for providing funding for our 10th anniversary," said NGT Artistic Director, Chris Jansen. "We will be producing six plays this season, instead of the usual four, to commemorate this milestone in our history."

The first show of the NGT 10th Anniversary season was the critically acclaimed "Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins" directed by Lora Adams and starring Susan Perrin-Sallak and Bryan Tank. The remaining plays in the season include :

August: Osage County

By Tracy Letts

Directed by Derek Bertelsen

One of the most bracing and critically acclaimed plays in recent Broadway history, August: Osage County is a portrait of the dysfunctional American family at its finest–and absolute worst.

October 15 - 24, 2010

Gift of the Magi

By Peter Ekstrom from the short story by O`Henry

Directed by Lora Adams

Starring Tristan Tapscott and Kelly Lohrenz

Story and song blend together for a celebration of love and giving that continues to define the true meaning of Christmas. From the frolic in the opening scene, to the last uplifting moment, The Gift of The Magi is a magical theatrical experience for families to share.

December 10 - 19, 2010

Sleuth

By Anthony Shaffer

A man who loves games and theater invites his wife's lover to meet him, setting up a battle of wits with potentially deadly results.

January 20 - 30, 2011

And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson

By Jim Leonard, Jr.

In Jackson, a small town in rural Indiana, Elizabeth Ann Willow lives with her father and mother. Crippled at birth with polio, Elizabeth Ann is confined to a wheelchair and must wear leg braces, And They Danced Real Slow in Jackson is a plea for understanding and compassion in a world where prejudice and casual cruelty are too often the norm.

March 10 - 20, 2011

TBA: Quad Cities Original

May 15 - 15, 2011

More information about New Ground Theatre can be found at www.newgroundtheatre.org or by calling 563-326-7529. Ticket prices for shows are $18 general admission and $15 for seniors (55+ and students).

MILWAUKEE, WI - For years, any weight-loss aficionado could easily tell you the best sources of dietary fiber:  whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.  But in today's environment, things have changed.  Grocery store shelves have become crowded with traditionally low-fiber foods that are now packed with fiber, like candy, ice cream, and artificial sweeteners. 

According to TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, these "new fiber" foods may not yield the same health benefits as their traditional high-fiber food counterparts.

Defining Fiber

Dietary fiber - also called roughage - is defined by the Institute of Medicine as the edible, nondigestible component of carbohydrate and lignin found naturally in plant food.  Fiber is not digested or absorbed in the small intestine, and it does not contribute calories; rather, bacteria in the stomach metabolize the fibrous parts of food.  When you eat a food that contains a natural source of dietary fiber, you are said to be eating intact fiber.

Added fiber consists of isolated, nondigestible carbohydrates that have beneficial physiological effects in humans.  These fibers can be synthetically manufactured or derived from other plant or animal sources.  An example of an added fiber is pectin extracted from citrus peel and used as a gel in making jam or jelly.  Generally, added fiber is referred to as isolated or functional fiber.

Total fiber is the sum of dietary (or intact) fiber plus added (or isolated or functional) fiber.  Things can seem confusing on the Nutrition Facts panel of food packaging because "dietary fiber" includes all sources of fiber in that food, whether they are from intact or isolated sources.  This is why you can see upwards of ten grams of dietary fiber listed for a fiber-fortified flour tortilla that traditionally would have only one or two grams of fiber.

Fiber can help lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and promote satiety or the feeling of fullness. 

According to The Institute of Medicine, women ages 50 and younger should consume 25 grams of fiber per day.  Women ages 51 and older should aim for 21 grams per day.  For males, those 50 and under need 38 grams per day, and men ages 51 and older should consume 30 grams of fiber per day.


Isolated vs. Intact Fiber

According to Katie Clark, M.P.H., R.D., C.D.E., Assistant Clinical Professor of Nutrition at the University of California - San Francisco and nutrition expert for TOPS, the health benefits of intact fiber are widely accepted among health professionals. 

Researchers who study the effects of fiber on health have done so largely by analyzing the dietary fiber that occurs naturally in high-fiber foods.  But do the health benefits of dietary fiber extend to synthetically manufactured or extracted fibers added to traditionally low-fiber foods?  The American Dietetic Association (ADA) maintains that, "Whether isolated, functional fibers provide protection against cardiovascular disease remains controversial."  The ADA's position paper on dietary fiber goes on to say, "Longer-term studies of fiber intake which examine the effects of both intrinsic (intact) and functional (isolated) fibers...are required."

"Because we don't know to what degree the health benefits of dietary fiber are attributable to intact fibers (the additional nutrients in those high-fiber foods), most dietitians and nutrition professionals are recommending that consumers focus on eating foods that are naturally high in fiber," says Clark. 

Whole foods such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables are not only high in fiber, but low in salt, devoid of added sugar, and tend to be lower in calories than processed and packaged foods.  Many of the isolated fiber foods on the market are highly processed and are high in salt, added sugars, and extra calories. 

"Much like the notion that 'organic junk food is still junk food,' keep in mind that a 'high-fiber cookie is still a cookie!'" notes Clark.


Side of Package Sleuthing

To determine whether the fiber in a food product comes from an intact or isolated source, you should search the ingredients list on food packaging.

The most common isolated fibers that manufacturers use to bulk-up traditionally low-fiber foods are:
•    Maltodextrin
•    Inulin (chicory root)
•    Polydextrose
•    Oat fiber
•    Resistant start
•    Pectin
•    Gum

Keep in mind that rapidly increasing the amount of fiber in your diet can lead to gas, bloating, and other gastrointestinal discomfort.  Drinking more water alongside increasing fiber intake and slowly increasing fiber intake by a few grams per day can help alleviate symptoms.

By increasing the amount of whole grains and legumes in your diet and making sure to eat five to seven servings of fruits per day, it's quite possible to meet your dietary fiber needs without eating fiber-fortified or isolated fiber foods.  Eating whole foods that are naturally high in fiber are oftentimes more satiating - and less expensive - than foods that contain functional fiber or are fiber-fortified. 

"Fiber can be an important tool in weight loss, diabetes management, and reducing the risk for other chronic diseases," says Clark.  "When selecting high-fiber foods, look for whole fiber foods over fake fiber foods to maximize your health potential."

TOPS Club Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the original, nonprofit weight-loss support and wellness education organization, was established more than 62 years ago to champion weight-loss support and success.  Founded and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, TOPS promotes successful, affordable weight management with a philosophy that combines healthy eating, regular exercise, wellness information, and support from others at weekly chapter meetings. TOPS has about 170,000 members in nearly 10,000 chapters throughout the United States and Canada.

Visitors are welcome to attend their first TOPS meeting free of charge. To find a local chapter, view www.tops.org or call (800) 932-8677.

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DAVENPORT, IA–October 1, 2010–A remembrance honoring late community advocate John Kiley is planned for Saturday, October 16th with an unofficial "fun run" on Arsenal Island and a gathering at the Blue Cat Brew Pub in Rock Island.

An invitation is extended to all Quad-Citians who knew Kiley, an accomplished runner, volunteer and supporter of social justice causes, who died suddenly February 15, 2009 at his home in Davenport.

There is no cost or registration for the three-mile fun run that begins on the Arsenal at 5 p.m.  A photo ID is required to enter the island.  Participants are invited to walk, jog or run a three-mile course around the island.  A celebration "In Honor of John" will follow upstairs at the Blue Cat Brew Pub in Rock Island.

Organizers hope to gain local support for establishing an annual "5Kiley" celebration in the Quad-Cities.

"We want to honor a man who loved the Quad-Cities," says Kathy Weiss, one of several organizers.  "We would also like to support those organizations and projects that were near and dear to John, such as Café on Vine." Kiley helped establish the Davenport soup kitchen while serving as Social Action Director for the Catholic Diocese of Davenport, a position he held until his death.

"He also supported local arts and the music scene," Weiss said.  "He played basketball at St. Ambrose and ran countless Bixes and marathons.  He touched so many lives here and we feel it's important to celebrate this rare gem, who was a friend to all."

For more information or to volunteer, please email kileyrun@gmail.com.

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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley is pressing for consideration of two key amendments to ensure American workers are filling job vacancies in the United States when companies seek to use temporary visa programs to fill those jobs.  The amendments were filed to the so-called offshoring bill that is currently being debated in the Senate.

"If this debate is truly about protecting American jobs, these common-sense amendments will go a long way to preventing work from being shipped overseas and ensuring that qualified American workers are first in line for the job openings.  Instead of blocking these amendments, the Majority Leader should bring them up for a vote," Grassley said.  "In tough economic times like we're seeing, it's even more important that we do everything possible to see that Americans are given every consideration when applying for jobs.

"If there aren't qualified Americans, then companies can legitimately use the visa system.  But, today, too many Americans remain unemployed, and we still allow companies to import thousands of foreign workers with little or no strings attached.  It doesn't seem unreasonable to ask businesses to first determine if there are qualified Americans to fill the vacant positions, and be held accountable for displacing Americans to hire cheaper, foreign labor," Grassley added.

One of the Grassley amendments mirrors legislation Grassley coauthored with Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.  The amendment would prevent any company engaged in a mass lay-off of American workers from importing cheaper labor from abroad through temporary guest worker programs.  Companies truly facing labor shortages could continue to obtain employer sponsored visas.

The other amendment is similar to legislation he and Senator Dick Durbin have introduced that would root out fraud and abuse of the H-1B and L Visa programs while making sure Americans have the first chance at high-skilled jobs in the United States.  The H-1B visa has been labeled the "outsourcing visa" by India's former Commerce and Industry Minister.

Grassley said the H-1B program is well-known for encouraging companies to take their work offshore.   The New York Times reported in 2007 that the H-1B Visa is "a critical tool for Indian outsourcing vendors to gain expertise and win contracts from western companies to transfer critical operations like Bangalore.  As Indian outsourcing companies have become the leading consumers of the visa, they have used it to further their primary mission, which is to gain the expertise necessary to take on critical tasks performed by Western companies, and perform them in India at a fraction of the costs."

The H-1B and L Visa amendment would require employers to try and recruit U.S. workers before hiring H-1B visa holders; require employers to pay a better wage to visa holders who take these jobs; expand the powers of the federal government to go after abusers; create new rules regarding the outsourcing and outplacement of H-1B and L-1 workers by their employers to secondary employers in the United States; and establish a new database that employers can use to advertise positions for which they intend to hire an H-1B worker.

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