ROCK ISLAND, IL (07/12/2011)(readMedia)-- 884 students have been named to the Dean's List at Augustana College for the 2011 spring term. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a four-point scale for courses taken during the term.

From your area, students who have earned this honor include :

Lauren Carver from Bettendorf, Iowa, a senior majoring in biology.

Peter Wessels from Bettendorf, Iowa, a senior majoring in business administration finance and accounting.

Fenner Hengst from Bettendorf, Iowa, a sophomore majoring in graphic design.

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

Tyler Cowherd from Bettendorf, Iowa, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Moselle Singh from Le Claire, Iowa, a sophomore majoring in anthropology.

Anna Smith from Davenport, Iowa, a senior majoring in biology and psychology.

Regina Jarrell from Davenport, Iowa, a senior majoring in art.

Thomas Harris from Davenport, Iowa, a junior majoring in biology.

James Wiebler from Davenport, Iowa, a sophomore majoring in biology.

Kelsey Lovaas from Davenport, Iowa, a junior majoring in business advising.

Gaetano Iaccarino from Davenport, Iowa, a senior majoring in music and anthropology.

Anthony Ash from Davenport, Iowa, a junior majoring in accounting and business administration finance.

Jasmine Brooks from Davenport, Iowa, a junior majoring in political science.

Audrey Waner from Davenport, Iowa, a senior majoring in art.

Anna Rusch from Davenport, Iowa, a sophomore majoring in business advising.

Grace Drenth from Davenport, Iowa, a junior majoring in psychology.

Anita Cook from Davenport, Iowa, a senior majoring in art.

Zain Dada from Davenport, Iowa, a senior majoring in biology and French.

Cristina Stan from Davenport, Iowa, a sophomore majoring in biology and pre-medicine.

Kylie Koger from Davenport, Iowa, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Manisha Kumar from Davenport, Iowa, a junior majoring in pre-medicine and biology.

Jillian Gibbs from Rock Island, Ill., a senior majoring in biology.

James Sales from Rock Island, Ill., a senior majoring in biology.

Josephine Swanson from Rock Island, Ill., a senior majoring in biology.

Clare Kilbride from Rock Island, Ill., a junior majoring in communication science & disorders.

Angela Bahls from Rock Island, Ill., a junior majoring in communication science & disorders and psychology.

Samuel Anderson from Rock Island, Ill., a senior majoring in computer science and math.

Nathaniel McDowell from Rock Island, Ill., a senior majoring in English, classics and philosophy.

Andrew Shaffer from Rock Island, Ill., a senior majoring in honors history.

Abigail Ledford from Rock Island, Ill., a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Katherine Rea from Rock Island, Ill., a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Angela Ledford from Rock Island, Ill., a sophomore majoring in pre-medicine and biology.

Sheila Ahuja from Rock Island, Ill., a sophomore majoring in pre-teaching English.

Brianna Dyer from Rock Island, Ill., a senior majoring in teaching English.

Elaine Guthrie from Coal Valley, Ill., a senior majoring in biology.

Crystina Mayfield from Coal Valley, Ill., a senior majoring in French and Africana studies.

Erica Aten from Coal Valley, Ill., a senior majoring in psychology.

Kelsey Winter from East Moline, Ill., a sophomore majoring in biology.

Matthew Kustes from East Moline, Ill., a senior majoring in business management information systems.

Emma Burgess from East Moline, Ill., a senior majoring in psychology.

Astrid Tello-Rodriguez from Milan, Ill., a junior majoring in psychology.

Kayla Papish from East Moline, Ill., a senior majoring in teaching math and math.

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

Dalinda Widdop from Milan, Ill., a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Allison Brown from Milan, Ill., a sophomore majoring in pre-teaching English.

Brian Stone from Milan, Ill., a senior majoring in teaching math and math.

Darshan Hullon from Moline, Ill., a sophomore majoring in biology and pre-medicine.

Deanna Zwicker from Orion, Ill., a senior majoring in business administration finance and economics.

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

Alyssa Zwicker from Orion, Ill., a sophomore majoring in psychology.

Ryan Brummet from Port Byron, Ill., a junior majoring in math.

Douglas Peters from Port Byron, Ill., a junior majoring in neuroscience.

Jonathan Wallace from Port Byron, Ill., a senior majoring in political science.

Emma Thompson from Port Byron, Ill., a first year majoring in Spanish.

Alexandra Jones from Sherrard, Ill., a sophomore majoring in biology.

Megan Lecander from Sherrard, Ill., a senior majoring in business administration management.

Janelle VanWatermeulen from Silvis, Ill., a senior majoring in business administration marketing.

Chelsea Vickerman from Silvis, Ill., a junior majoring in business advising.

Randi Johnson from Silvis, Ill., a senior majoring in communication science & disorders.

Jennifer Youngs from Taylor Ridge, Ill., a senior majoring in psychology and political science.

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 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 70 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 287 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.

State Prepared to Assist Communities in Recovery From Major Power Outage

CHICAGO - July 12, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today said state emergency management officials are coordinating with communities affected by Monday's violent wind storm to ensure they have the resources needed for public safety.

"Yesterday's storm left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without electricity," said Governor Quinn. "Power crews are working around the clock to restore electricity, and we thank them for their diligent efforts. In the meantime, the state is prepared to step in and quickly provide any assistance communities need to ensure the safety of their residents."

Gov. Quinn said staff from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) have been working closely with emergency management agencies in the affected areas since shortly after the storm to determine if state assistance is needed to protect public health and safety. That assistance includes heavy trucks, equipment and correctional inmates to assist with debris removal, generators, portable lights, law enforcement support and more.

In addition, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is continuing to coordinate with ComEd to put a high priority on restoring power to critical facilities, such as nursing homes.

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The German American Heritage Center will host a program entitled "Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin" at 2:00 PM on Sunday, July 24 at the Center. 712 West 2nd Street. Davenport. IA

"Count Ferninand von Zeppelin and His Airships" will be presented by Werner Zarnikow. Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838-1017) first came to the United States in 1863, sent as a war observer of the Northern armies by the King of Baden. He received a permit to pass into the battlefields by President Lincoln after being recommended by then General Carl Schurz. In a few months he was to leave the war zone, explore the American frontier and experience his first balloon. Up, up and away to a new career and a new world. The presentation will also feature a popular song from Zeppelin's peak career years "Come Take a Trip in My Airship" sung by Barbara Kuttler and accompanied by Mark Prebyl on the vintage German piano.

Werner Zarnikow is a GAHC member and a frequent volunteer in our archives, where he provides language translation assistance. He has been fascinated by Zeppelin's career since the latter's flight over Davenport when Zarnikow was a young lad. His collection of Zeppelin's memorabilia will be on display on the 4th floor of GAHC during July.

Cost: Adults $5.00; Seniors $4.00; Children 5-17 $3.00; Children under 5 and GAHC Members are free.

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) released thefollowing statement after reports came out that Governor Branstad and his staff have continuously pressured Iowa's Workers' Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey to resign his independent office:

"Historically this has been a non-partisan agency whose focus has been putting Iowans back to work. Chris Godfrey is highly qualified. He was first appointed in 2006 and re-appointed in 2009 to fulfill a six-year term after being confirmed 49-0 by the Iowa Senate. He serves in a capacity that is independent of the Governor and the political climate. The Governor has injected politics into this, leaving workers and employers hanging in the balance. It's highly unusual for the Governor to pressure a Commissioner of this type into resignation. It's one thing to surround yourself with staff of your choosing, it's another to conduct a clearly political witch hunt against a qualified and competent employee."

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Annual funding to housing authorities a down payment toward addressing

$25.6B backlog in large-scale repair, renovation costs

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today awarded $5,118,535 to public housing authorities in Iowa.  The funds will allow these agencies to make major large-scale improvements to their public housing units.  View a full list of public housing authorities receiving funding.

HUD's Capital Fund Program provides annual funding to all public housing authorities to build, repair, renovate and/or modernize the public housing in their communities. This funding can be used to make large-scale improvements such as new roofs and to make energy-efficient upgrades to replace old plumbing and electrical systems.

"While this funding will certainly help housing authorities address long-standing capital improvements, it only scratches the surface in addressing the deep backlog we're seeing across the country," said Donovan.  "Housing Authorities need nearly $26 billion to keep these homes safe and decent for families, but given our budget realities, we must find other, innovative ways to confront the decline of our public housing stock.  That's why we introduced our new Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) as part of our comprehensive strategy to keep these homes on firm financial footing."

Sandra B. Henriquez, HUD Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, added, "Unless we transform the way we fund our public housing authorities, local managers will be increasingly forced to choose between repairing roofs, replacing plumbing, or worst of all, demolishing or selling their properties.  We simply can't afford to let that happen."

Earlier this month, HUD released Capital Needs in the Public Housing Program, a study that updated the national estimate of capital needs in the public housing stock in the U.S.  The study found the nation's 1.2 million public housing units are facing an estimated $25.6 billion in much-needed large scale repairs.  Unlike routine maintenance, capital needs are the large-scale improvements required to make the housing decent and economically sustainable, such as replacing roofs or updating plumbing and electrical systems to increase energy efficiency.  This study updates a 1998 analysis and includes costs to address overdue repairs, accessibility improvements for disabled residents, lead abatement, and water and energy conservation that would make the homes more cost effective and energy efficient.

Over the last 75 years, the Federal Government has invested billions in the development and maintenance of public and multifamily housing - including providing critical support through HUD's Capital Fund. Still, the nation continues to lose thousands of public housing units annually, primarily due to disrepair.  To protect the considerable Federal investment and respond to the growing demand for affordable rental housing, the Obama Administration has proposed a comprehensive strategy to preserve this inventory. HUD's Transforming Rental Assistance Initiative will allow housing authorities to leverage public and private financing to address capital needs and make public housing units affordable for the long term.

In FY 2012, HUD is requesting $200 million for a Transforming Rental Assistance demonstration to rehabilitate federally subsidized affordable housing, including public and multifamily housing units.  The Rental Assistance Demonstration would allow owners to continue to make standard life-cycle improvements to this inventory, modernize or replace obsolete units, and stem the loss of stock from private sector partners choosing to opt-out of affordable housing programs. The funds used to bring 255,000 properties into a reliable, long term, project-based rental assistance contract will enable public housing authorities to raise more than $6.1 billion in private financing to reduce the large backlog of capital repair needs and in the process, support significant job creation in communities across the country.

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Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) released a statement after participating in a joint-chamber forum with Holly Petraeus on alleged mortgage-related violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Holly Petraeus serves as the Director of the Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Following the forum, Rep. Braley said:

"More and more, it seems our veterans are returning from combat only to face new challenges here at home. Whether it's an injury or a financial crisis caused by long deployments and time off from their civilian jobs, our veterans deserve to know that we're standing up for them. This forum identified serious problems and issues with the way banks and lending institutions currently treat our soldiers and their families - and we need to take action to protect them from this abuse. That's why I introduced the Protecting Veterans' Homes Act earlier this year. My bill will give our soldiers enough time to get back on their feet and get their finances in order before being kicked out of their homes. This is the least we can do for the brave men and women who serve this country."

In May, Rep. Braley introduced the Protecting Veterans' Homes Act to protect veterans from being foreclosed upon by big banks. The bill would give returning soldiers time to get their finances in order after long deployments. Currently, similar protections for veterans are set to expire in December of 2012. Rep. Braley's bill would make these protections permanent and would extend the grace period from nine months to a full year for veterans returning from deployments.

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Media Advisory

Cheri Bustos for Congress

17th District of Illinois

WHAT: Cheri Bustos of East Moline will formally announce her candidacy for Congress on a multiple-city, two-day tour.

WHEN AND WHERE:

•    9:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 13, St. Anthony's Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Main Floor, 767 30th St., Rock Island

•    12:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 13, Rockford Public Library, Main Library, Room A, 215 N. Wyman St., Rockford

•    3:45-7:15 p.m., Wednesday, July 13, meeting with various reporters and news organizations in Peoria

•   8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Thursday, July 14, meeting with various reporters and news organizations in the 17th Congressional District

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Brad Ruppert at Brad@CheriBustos.com or (217) 416-4768.

Cheri Bustos, a health care executive, East Moline City Council member and former journalist, will announce the launch of her Congressional campaign on a multiple-city, two-day tour Wednesday, with stops on the first day in the Quad-Cities, Rockford and Peoria, and in several cities on the second day.

The media and public are invited to each location.

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Nebraska City, Neb. (July 12, 2011) - Children's Discovery Garden in Iowa City announced today that it earned the national designation of a certified Nature Explore Classroom from the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation.

The first Nature Explore Classroom is located in the Tree Adventure attraction at Arbor Day Farm, the Arbor Day Foundation's interactive conservation venue in Nebraska City, Neb.

Nature Explore Classrooms are part of the Nature Explore program, a collaborative project of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation. Developed in response to the growing disconnect between children and nature, certified Nature Explore Classrooms are designed to help fill the void by educating young children using research-based principles for integrating nature into their daily learning.

These classrooms, which are being developed across the country, offer interactive elements - including musical instruments made of natural materials, climbing structures, wooden blocks, small waterways, garden areas, and natural materials for building and creating art - that give children important and inspiring nature experiences. While connecting children with nature, such unstructured play and activities are shown to enhance concentration, develop creativity and problem-solving, relieve stress, and improve skills in many areas.

Children's Discovery Garden is located at the Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center, 220 South Gilbert Street in Iowa City. Outdoor classrooms that are designed according to principles described in the Dimensions Foundation's Learning With Nature Idea Book are eligible to become certified Nature Explore Classrooms. In a certified Nature Explore Classroom, children can create visual masterpieces in a nature art area, build with natural materials, climb on natural structures, and practice their balance, agility, and creativity in areas designed for music and movement.

"Children's Discovery Garden has taken an important leadership role in a profoundly needed initiative to connect young children with nature, setting a wonderful example for education centers across the country," said Susie Wirth, Nature Explore outreach director for the Arbor Day Foundation. "Everyone at the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation appreciates the commitment Children's Discovery Garden has made to the Nature Explore program and to providing nature education opportunities for young children."

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MOUNT VERNON, IA (07/12/2011)(readMedia)-- Cornell College confered degrees on approximately 250 students at its 2011 Commencement ceremony on May 28.

Daniel Krauss of Amana graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology-Exercise Science Concentration and History .

Laurel Wilhelm of Blairstown graduated with a Bachelor of Special Studies in Kinesiology-Exercise Science Concentration .

Chad Owen of Bettendorf graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology-Exercise Science Concentration .

Brock Nelson of Blue Grass graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology .

Featured in Colleges That Change Lives, Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, is a national liberal arts college with a distinctive One Course At A Time (OCAAT), or block, academic calendar. The OCAAT provides students with intellectual immersion, academic focus, and unique freedom to shed the confines of the traditional classroom to study off-campus, pursue research, or accept an internship-all without missing out on other classes. Cornell's excellent faculty, majors and pre-professional programs, and engaging residential life all combine to offer numerous extraordinary opportunities in the classroom, on campus, and around the world. Founded in 1853, the college's entire hilltop campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For details, go to www.cornellcollege.edu.

WASHINGTON D.C.–Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that 48 Iowa Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) will receive a total of $5,049,415.  The funding comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Capital Fund Program, which provides for the financing, development and improvement of public housing in communities across the country. Harkin is a senior member of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds HUD.

"I have always believed that access to quality, affordable housing is the foundation of economic stability for a family, and in turn, communities as a whole," said Harkin. "In these tough economic times, this funding will give Iowa a needed shot in the arm to ensure that needy Iowans have the access to housing they need."

Details of the funding are below.

$31,136--Afton Housing Commission

$43,435--Albia Housing Agency

$103,820–Area XV Multi-County Housing Agency

$108,495–Centerville Municipal Housing Agency

$172,464–Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority

$69,194–Chariton Housing Authority

$147,648–Charles City Housing and Redevelopment Authority

$125,886-City of Iowa City Housing Authority

$72,721-Clarinda Low Rent Housing Agency

$43,361-Corning Housing Commission

$57,291- Davenport Housing Commission

$547,201- Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency

$443,471- Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency

$11,843- Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency

$ 189,051- Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority

$14,187- Essex Low Rent Housing Agency

$50,145- Evansdale Municipal Housing Authority

$150,526- Fort Dodge Municipal Housing Agency

$149,198- Fort Madison Housing Authority

$244,227- Keokuk Housing Authority

$27,293- Lenox Low Rent Housing Agency

$18,196- Lone Tree Housing Commission

$28,909–Low Rent Housing Agency of Bancroft

$220,177- Low Rent Housing Agency of Burlington

$76,548- Low Rent Housing Agency of Clinton

$19,825- Low Rent Housing Agency of Farragut

$23,391- Low Rent of Housing Agency of Hamburg

$68,222- Low Rent Housing Agency of Knoxville

$35,398- Low Rent Housing Agency of Leon

$48,538- Low Rent Housing Agency of Missouri Valley

$24,253-- Low Rent Housing Agency of Mount Ayr

$58,215- Low Rent Housing Agency of Onawa

$47,638- Low Rent Housing Agency of Red Oak

$18,318–Low Rent Housing Agency of Sidney

$76,793–Low Rent Housing Agency of Sioux Center

$43,954-- Low Rent Housing Agency of Waverly

$41,850–Low Rent Housing Agency of Winterset

$18,196–Malvern Low Rent Housing Agency

$290,779-- Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs

$26,383–Municipal Housing Agency of Manning

$171,006–Muscatine Municipal Housing Agency

$146,585–North Iowa Regional Housing Authority

$415,606–Ottumwa Housing Authority

$46,609–Rock Rapids Municipal Housing Agency

$75,028–Shenandoah Low Rent Housing Agency

$141,883–Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority

$18,836–Stanton Housing Commission

$20,129–Tabor Low Rent Housing Agency

$43,852–Villisca Low Rent Housing Agency

$50,825–Waterloo Housing Authority

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