19 Aug 2010

XSTREAM CLEANUP PRELIMINARY CLEANUP RESULTS

By Erin Vorak
QUAD CITIES?Volunteers at the seventh annual Xstream Cleanup on Saturday, August 14 removed approximately 50,573 pounds of debris from area waterways and illegal dumping sites. Cleanups were held at 42 locations in Bettendorf, Davenport and LeClaire, Iowa; Campbell's Island, Coal Valley, East Moline, Milan, Rock Island and Silvis, Illinois.

1,243 volunteers worked a total of 3,394 hours and collectively gathered 1,287 bags of trash, 682 tires, 14 appliances, 10 bicycles, 25 pieces of furniture, 13 televisions and 16 mattresses. This was the equivalent of 25,730 pounds of trash, 22,968 pounds of tires, 1,050 pounds of appliances, 195 pounds of televisions, 400 pounds of mattresses and 230 pounds of bicycles for a grand total of 50,573 pounds.

Additional items, reflected in the pounds above, included:
· Automotive-related items (bumper, muffler, van seats, front of car, rims, engine head, doors, battery, gas cans)
· Home items (carpet, shingles, siding, sink, chandelier, storm door, laundry basket, filing cabinet, air conditioner, six grills, four toilets, clothing, blankets)
· Metal (fence, pipe, sheet metal, iron tubes, tools, 80 lb metal chain)
· Kids' items (car seat, sled, swing set, slide, inflatable pool, kite, stroller)
· Large items (farm implements, lawn mower, car, part of a camper, two boats, bench grinder, railroad hand cart)
· Electronics (VCRs, TVs, computers)
· Miscellaneous (tiki light, Bettendorf HS sign, fisherman's basket with fish, traffic light, bowling ball, wheelbarrow, channel buoy, shopping carts, eight barrels, picnic bench, gas station sign, Styrofoam, 5-gallon buckets)

In addition, this year the following locations worked on beautification efforts:
· Nahant Marsh: removed 33 cubic yards of invasive species.
· North High School grounds: pulled 75 invasive trees and shrubs and planted 175 native plants.
· West Lake Park: removed one acre of invasive honeysuckle (the equivalent of 150 mature plants).
· Duck Creek at Middle Park in Bettendorf: removed 40 garbage bags of invasive species.
· Duck Creek at Fairmount in Davenport: removed three 30-yard dumpsters of woody invasive species.

Photos of several cleanup sites can be viewed on-line at www.xstreamcleanup.org.

This event was sponsored by the following:
Presenting Sponsor: Riverboat Development Authority

Platinum Sponsors: Alcoa, iLivehere: myhome ourcommunity, and Living Lands & Waters

Gold Sponsors: Iowa American Water, Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, The Moline Foundation, THE National Bank, Rock Island County Waste Management Agency

Silver Sponsors: Alter Metal Recycling, DHL Global Forwarding, Independent Insurance Agents of Scott County, McCarthy-Bush Corporation, Mel Foster Company, Oystar Packaging Technologies, Quad City Conservation Alliance, Sears Manufacturing

Logistics Sponsors: Cities of Bettendorf, Davenport, East Moline, LeClaire, Milan, Moline, Rock Island and Silvis. Allied Waste, Bi-State Regional Commission, Keep Rock Island Beautiful, Partners of Scott County Watersheds, Radish Magazine, River Roots Live, Waste Commission of Scott County

With Help From: Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Downtown Partnership, Division of Iowa Quad Cities Chamber, Eastern Iowa Grain Inspection, Midas Auto Systems Experts, Wallaces Garden Center


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19 Aug 2010

Kaplan University Announces Local Summer 2010 Online Graduates

By readMedia

CHICAGO (08/11/2010)(readMedia)-- Kaplan University celebrated the graduation of its summer 2010 class during a live ceremony on Aug. 7 in Chicago. Harold Ford, Jr., a former U.S. Representative who President Bill Clinton once described as "the walking, living embodiment of where America ought to go in the 21st century," served as the keynote speaker. The following local students were awarded degrees:

Ronda Arnold of Eldridge, IA, was awarded a Master of Science in Nursing.

Rebecca Bird of Davenport, IA, was awarded a Associate of Applied Science in Accounting.

Kathleen Earnest of Coal Valley, IL, was awarded a 2 + 2 Bachelor in Nursing.

Mark Frederick of Rock Island, IL, was awarded a Master of Science in Criminal Justice.

Kershanna Harris of Davenport, IA, was awarded a 2 + 2 Bachelor in Nursing.

Machelle Pemberton of Davenport, IA, was awarded a Master of Science in Criminal Justice.

Christina Williams of Davenport, IA, was awarded a Associate of Applied Science in Health Sciences.

Marie Wilmont of Davenport, IA, was awarded a Master of Business Administration in Business Administration.

"Graduates like you must use your education and skill set to make this a stronger, more vibrant and dynamic nation," Ford told the approximately 730 graduates in attendance. "It takes courage and determination to improve your own life and the lives of those around you."

The Kaplan University summer 2010 class, which included more than 4,200 graduates, earned associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees - as well as professional certificates - completely online. Many of them traveled from around the country and the world to attend the ceremony, meeting face-to-face for the first time. Kaplan University has graduated nearly 27,000 online students since it began offering web-based degrees in 2001.

19 Aug 2010

Step Out for Diabetes Walk

By Shari Tisinger

Remember this date on your calendar: 10-10-10.

Take that day to help us in the fight against diabetes. The annual "Step Out to Fight Diabetes" event in the Quad-Cities will be Oct. 10 at LeClaire Park, Davenport. Registration is at 1 p.m., with a 2 p.m. start time.

Routes include a 3.2- mile walk and 5K run, and are accessible to people of all ages and levels of mobility.

Along the walk, participants are supported by volunteers offering water, snacks, entertainment and encouragement.

For more information on how to participate, visit the Web site at diabetes.org/stepout or call 888-DIABETES

19 Aug 2010

Augustana students receive honors for exceptional work

By Kamy Beattie

ROCK ISLAND, IL (08/10/2010)(readMedia)-- 85 Augustana students were honored recently at the Recognition of Student Honors Program. The annual ceremony highlights exceptional students from various academic departments through scholarships and awards.

The following students given awards are from your area:

Adam DeSimone was awarded with the Bruce R. Milligan Endowed Scholarship from the Economics department at Augustana College. The scholarship was established by Bruce R. Milligan, a 1978 graduate, in appreciation for the education received at Augustana. It is awarded to an economics major on the basis of academic achievement upon recommendation of the Department Chair. DeSimone is a junior from Bettendorf, IA majoring in economics and mathematics.

Deanna Zwicker was awarded with the Bruce R. Milligan Endowed Scholarship from the Economics department at Augustana College. The scholarship was established by Bruce R. Milligan, a 1978 graduate, in appreciation for the education received at Augustana. It is awarded to an economics major on the basis of academic achievement upon recommendation of the Department Chair. Zwicker is a senior from Orion, IL majoring in business administration-finance and economics.

Adelle DeVolder was awarded with the Harold E. and Louise Lage Swanson Scholarship from the Business Administration department at Augustana College. The scholarship is for students majoring in business administration. The award is based on academic achievement and potential for a business career. DeVolder is a senior from Moline, IL majoring in business administration-finance.

Alyssa Harmon was awarded with the Harold E. and Louise Lage Swanson Scholarship from the Business Administration department at Augustana College. The scholarship is for students majoring in business administration. The award is based on academic achievement and potential for a business career. Harmon is a senior from Moline, IL majoring in business administration-advising.

Courtney VandeWiele was awarded with the McGladrey Scholarship from the Accounting department at Augustana College. The scholarship is awarded from funds provided by the accounting firms individually. VandeWiele is a senior from Rock Island, IL majoring in political science and accounting.

Rayna Narvaez was awarded with the Ralph W. Hansen Endowed Scholarship from the Psychology department at Augustana College. The scholarship was established on the occasion of Ralph's 25th year at the college. It is awarded each year to a junior psychology major who has shown outstanding interest, ability and motivation in pursuing the study of psychology per recommendation by the Department of Psychology. Narvaez is a senior from Bettendorf, IA majoring in psychology and Spanish.

Lauren White was awarded with the S. James Galley Endowed Scholarships from the Accounting department at Augustana College. The scholarship was established by former students, present students and friends to recognize James Galley's twenty-five years of teaching at Augustana. White is a senior from East Moline, IL majoring in accounting.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls nearly 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 60 majors and areas of study. Augustana employs 226 faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.

19 Aug 2010

Davenport increases parking rates

By Eric West

Beginning on Thursday August 19th, the City of Davenport will begin charging the rate of $5 dollars for all downtown event parking. This will replace the old rate of $2 dollars. After studying downtown parking trends and surveying several cities, we feel like this new rate will bring us current with surrounding communities pricing for event parking.

For more information, contact Eric West, Parking System Supervisor at (563) 888-3030.

17 Aug 2010

Upcoming event at St. Ambrose

By Sharon Meilahn Bartlett, PhD

On Tues Sept 7th from 3-6pm the Modern Language Department at St. Ambrose University is holding an Open House to share opportunities to study and use
foreign languages.

Interested students, their families, and individuals who use a foreign language in their professions are invited to attend this informal event and enjoy free pizza and refreshments. It will be held in 120 McMullen Hall on the St. Ambrose campus (the corner of Gaines and Locust Streets).

For more information contact Sharon Meilahn Bartlett at bartlettsharonm@sau.edu

17 Aug 2010

Announcing Wappow! Search and Social Woot!

By Jenn Mathews
Conference Keynote: The Psychology of the Social Media User

This fall, Wappow! is hosting the annual Search and Social Woot! conference from September 27th-30th.  For three days on the island of Kauai, an all-star round table of speakers will discuss basic tactics and strategies to advanced techniques all intended to be used on search engines and social networking websites.  This opportunity is available to anyone who is looking to gain an edge in their social media marketing as well as promoting their businesses.  

Included in our fine panel of speakers is David Evans, Lecturer, MCDM at University of Washingtonand the founder and CEO of Psychster.  As Sr. Business Analyst for Classmates.com, David performed usability testing and analyzed the psychology of the user experience to inform strategic decisions for the company. He is able to bring his unique perspective to the understanding of the audience that social media marketers are focusing on. David has used his Ph.D. in social psychology to provide market and user research with the addition of psychographic segmentation, targeting algorithms, and remote usability testing. Thus providing Search and Social Woot! attendees a unique opportunity to learn from a rising star in the search marketing and social media marketing community.

Wappow! conferences offer visionary keynotes such as David's "The Psychology of the Social Media User - Digging into understanding what social media users (from Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, etc) react to positively and negatively", as well as roundtable-like panel discussions designed to engage the audience and encouraging them to push themselves in marketing and PR strategies in a relaxed and intimate setting. At these conferences, attendees enjoy the opportunity to connect with industry experts face-to-face while examining and discussing the tools available in today's fast-moving interactive world. The event delivers a program rich with case studies, up-and-coming product demonstrations, interactive learning sessions, and networking activities with leading experts in the field. For more information about Wappow! and the Search and Social Woot! conference in September 2010 visit www.wappow.com/searchandsocial

The conference takes place at the Kauai Marriott Resort, Hawaii, September 27 - 30, 2010, with a companion conference the following week on Emerging Media. We hope you can join us.

For a complete speaker lineup visit: wappow.com/searchandsocial/speakers.html
And for a complete agenda visit: wappow.com/searchandsocial/agenda.html
For more information about our organization, please visit www.wappow.com

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself or Zoe Harris - Public Relations at zoe.harris@wappow.com

Jenn Mathews

President
Wappow!, Inc
P: (877) 592-7769
16 Aug 2010

Call for Nominations Pioneer Award 2010

By Eunice Schlichting
Through this annual award, the Quad City Heritage League recognizes an individual who has made contributions of lasting significance toward the promotion and preservation of the Quad Cities' rich heritage.

Through his/her activities, the nominee shall have contributed one or all of the following:
• Increased awareness and appreciation for local or community history
• Promoted interest in the history of the community and continues to generate enthusiasm
• Provided long-term preservation of the community's history
• Encouraged collaboration and support from a cross-section of individuals and groups in the community

Recognition

The award recipient will be recognized at the QCHL's annual meeting which is held in November or December.

Selection Process

A committee of the Quad City Heritage League Board of Directors will review the submissions. The committee selects the finalists, and the Board of Directors will name the winner.

Members of the Board of Directors are not eligible for nomination during their terms on the board.

The deadline for nominations is September 1, 2010. Nominations must be submitted on the attached form and mailed to: Quad City Heritage League
PO Box 414, Davenport, IA 52805-0414

For more information, contact Eunice Schlichting, Award Committee Chair at 324-1043 ext. 223 or schlichting@putnam.org.

16 Aug 2010

Rock Island Fire Chief Announces Retirement

By John C. Phillips
Fire Chief, Doug Vroman, announced his retirement today as Fire Chief for the Rock Island Fire Department. His retirement will become effective October 5th, 2010.

Vroman has served as a member of the Fire Department for 29 years and was appointed Fire Chief in September, 2006.

Chief Vroman stated that he has had a great career with the Rock Island Fire Department. "I could not have imagined a career more filled with opportunity, challenge and pride".

City Manager John Phillips said that Chief Vroman has demonstrated strong leadership as Chief of the department and his good work is why the Rock Island Fire Department is so highly regarded in the region and the state. "Doug has played an important role in helping the City of Rock Island and our entire region to be better prepared for natural or man-made disasters. He has been very effective in working with other Fire Departments to improve our level of preparedness".

Phillips said that the process for filling the Chief's position will begin immediately. He plans to have the next Chief selected by the end of the year.

16 Aug 2010

President Obama Signs Feinstein, Grassley Measure to Prohibit Cell Phones in Prisons

By Randy Stalsberg

Law prevents inmates from using technology to commit crimes outside of prison walls.

Washington, D.C. - President Obama today signed into law legislation sponsored by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to prevent inmates from using cell phones to commit crimes from inside prison walls.

The Cell Phone Contraband Act closes a loophole in federal law by prohibiting the use or possession of cell phones and wireless devices in federal prisons. It also classifies cell phones and wireless devices as contraband material.  Whoever provides or attempts to provide an inmate with a cell phone could face imprisonment of up to one year.

"Now that this bill has become law, prison gangs will no longer be able to use cell phones to direct criminal attacks on individuals, to decide territory for the distribution of drugs, or conduct credit card fraud." Senator Feinstein said. "It is my hope that this new law will help put an end to this criminal activity and punish those who would profit from smuggling cell phones and other wireless devices into our federal prisons."

"This common sense bill, signed into law today, makes sure drug dealers and gang members in federal prisons can't continue conducting their crimes from behind bars," Senator Grassley said.  "Making it illegal for criminals to use cell phones and wireless devices in federal prison cuts their communications link and helps to keep our communities safe."

Inmates pay hundreds of dollars for contraband cell phones. Last May, California Inspector General David Shaw released a report which found that California prison inmates pay $500 to $1,000 per cell phone.

The report also noted that one corrupt correctional officer received approximately $150,000 in one year to smuggle cell phones to inmates.

Currently, cell phones found in prisons are not specifically defined as contraband material.  As a result, guards and inmates found smuggling or possessing a cell phone in a federal prison are rarely punished.

In 2009, Federal Bureau of Prisons staff confiscated 2,607 cell phones from minimum security facilities and 591 cell phones from secure federal institutions.

In the first four months of 2010, federal prison staff recovered 889 phones from minimum security facilities and 299 phones from secure institutions.

So far this year, authorities have discovered more than 3,200 cell phones among inmates in California prisons.  There are presumably thousands more that were not discovered.

The law also requires the Government Accountability Office to study state and federal efforts to prevent the smuggling of cell phones and other wireless devices into prisons and jails as well as efforts to minimize the trafficking of cell phones by guards and other prison officials. The report is due one year from enactment of the legislation.

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