Tom Weigand and Annette Zapolis Introduce True Coffee at Cool Beanz 

Rock Island, Ill. (April, 27 2011) - Rock Island native, Augustana College graduate (1985) and Trustee Tom Weigand has again brought one of his entrepreneurial ventures to the Quad Cities.  Three years ago the Noodles & Company co-founder opened a restaurant in Davenport, Iowa and this time Weigand is working with fellow Augustana graduate Annette Zapolis (2009), owner and manager of Rock Island's Cool Beanz, to sell True Coffee, from his premium artisan coffee company launched in Madison, Wis. in 2010.  Weigand and four partners founded True Coffee Roasters with a commitment to roasting coffees from the great coffee-producing regions of the world using a small-batch roasting process that ensures premium flavor.  According to Weigand "Once we got up and running, I wanted to make our coffees available in the Quad Cities and preferably near Augustana because of all the requests from family and friends!"  He continued, "I learned about Annette's wonderful coffeehouse near Augustana and it was the perfect fit."

As a student at Augustana, Zapolis also began to study coffee, espresso, restaurant management and the needs of the community.   After finding the right location, applying a year of research and fixing up a 100-year-old building, Zapolis opened Cool Beanz in August 2009.  The goal of Cool Beanz coffeehouse is to provide a comfortable environment for the Quad Cities community, as well as a place for Augustana and Blackhawk College students to study, relax, interact and enjoy high quality products in a warm atmosphere.  On any day, guests include families spending time together by the three sided fireplace, students diligently working in books and laptops and couples and friends enjoying gourmet sandwiches, salads and beverages. On weekends, local talent graces the Cool Beanz stage for toe-tapping entertainment. Entertainment schedule, events and more can be found at www.coolbeanzcoffeehouse.com.

In addition to small batch roasting, True Coffee practices many sustainable initiatives such as purchasing predominantly Fair Trade and Organic coffees.  According to Weigand, "These coffees come at a higher cost, but we know we are making a difference in coffee-producing communities throughout the world and in return our customers get a really well-grown coffee."  To take sustainability one step further, True Coffee has launched a unique Can Refill program for customers who purchase coffee beans to use at home or office.  Rather than selling the coffees solely using the industry-standard disposable bag, which is likely to end up in a landfill, True Coffee offers a 12-ounce, refillable can made from tin, which is the most recycled material in U.S.  When guests return to refill their can, they receive 20% discount on their coffee purchase, each and every refill.  "We wanted a program that allowed customers the ability to purchase the freshest coffee, promote sustainability by using a refillable can and reward them with a 20% discount for doing so," said Weigand.  The program is rapidly expanding in coffee shops where True Coffee is sold throughout the Midwest, and the same program is now available at Cool Beanz.  Find out more about True Coffee Roasters at www.truecoffeeroasters.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

###

Purchase the Finest in Plants and Support Vander Veer

The Friends of Vander Veer annual Spring Plant Sale is coming up soon. This year's sale takes place the weekend of April 30th and May 1st with the following schedule:

Friday, April 29th

3:30-7:30 p.m.

Friends Members-Only Preview Sale

Become a Member and get first pick of the outstanding plant selection

Saturday, April 30th

10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Sale is Open to the Public

Sunday, May 1st

1:00-3:30 p.m.

Sale is Open to the Public

Enjoy the 2011 Potting Party!

Take part in Davenport's largest potting party! Drop in for a 15-minute class; the cost to attend is $5.00. Participants will learn planting secrets, while receiving help from experts in choosing their plants. Please furnish your own pot and soil-less potting mix. Soil will be for sale for a nominal fee.

Call 563-940-8809 for more information! The Friends of Vander Veer is a non-profit organization that supports beauty, education, and restoration at Vander Veer Botanical Park. Proceeds from this sale support the Park.

 

-30-

DES MOINES, IA (04/26/2011)(readMedia)-- Tickets for the much-anticipated Iowa State Fair Grandstand shows go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. through all Ticketmaster outlets. The 2011 line-up is presented by U.S. Cellular.

In addition to the previously-announced star-studded line-up, Gavin DeGraw will open for Train and Maroon 5. DeGraw is known for numerous chart-toppers like "In Love With A Girl" and "I Don't Want To Be."

Print at home discounted admission tickets are on sale now through the Fair's website www.iowastatefair.org. For the first time, Fairgoers can purchase gate admission tickets online and immediately print their own tickets at no extra charge. Food coupons, Fair Play Packs, midway tickets and 11-day punch cards will also be available to order online beginning Saturday.

Tickets for all concert and track events will go on sale Saturday, April 30 at 10 a.m. through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. All concert events are reserved seating; track events are general admission. Beginning July 11, the Fair's Ticket Office will be open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mondays - Fridays and 9 a.m. to Noon on Saturdays for walk-up orders only (no mail, phone or fax orders). Convenience charges will apply to all tickets. Grandstand tickets do not include Fair admission.

A complete listing of event dates, times and ticket prices follows:

2011 Iowa State Fair Grandstand Line-up

presented by U.S. Cellular

Thursday, August 11 Casting Crowns with Sanctus Real, 8 p.m., $30

Friday, August 12 Jason Aldean with special guests Chris Young and Thompson Square, 8 p.m., $45

Saturday, August 13 Def Leppard with very special guest Heart, 8 p.m. $49

Sunday, August 14 The Incredible Machine Tour featuring Sugarland and Sara Bareilles, 8 p.m., $46

Monday, August 15 Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models, 5:30 p.m. Hot Laps, 6 p.m. Races, $15 adults, $5 children ages 6-11, free for ages 5 and under

Tuesday, August 16 Lynyrd Skynyrd and Doobie Brothers, 8 p.m., $46

Wednesday, August 17 Grand Outlaw National Tractor and Truck Pull, 2 p.m. $20 Adults, $10 children ages 6-11, free for ages 5 and under

Thursday, August 18 Ronnie Dunn with special guest Steel Magnolia, 8 p.m., $35

Friday, August 19 Train and Maroon 5 with special guest Gavin DeGraw, 8 p.m., $47

Saturday, August 20 Demolition Derby, 11:30 a.m., $12 adults, $5 children ages 6-11, free for ages 5 and under

Saturday, August 20 REBA with special guest Jerrod Niemann, 8 p.m., $45

Sunday, August 21 An Evening with Janet Jackson, 8 p.m., $65 and $55

"Nothing Compares" to the 2011 Iowa State Fair, celebrating 100 years of the Butter Cow August 11-21. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit www.iowastatefair.org.

# # #

Nebraska City, Neb. (April 25, 2011) - Iowa's Arbor Day is nearly here, and the best way to observe the holiday is to plant trees. Arbor Day in Iowa will be celebrated on National Arbor Day, April 29.

Before you get started, you want to make sure you're planting the right tree in the right place. A tree serves many purposes. It is wise to first determine which functions are most important to you when selecting a new tree to plant.

The main functions of a tree are:

• Shade: Trees are an excellent source for cooling because not only do they block the rays of the sun, they add water to the air through transpiration. Plant where you want the shadow during the hottest time of the year.
• Beauty: Trees add color and can enhance your home depending on where it's planted.
• Windbreak: These are most effective when you plant trees in a dense, step-like arrangement of both conifers and deciduous trees.
• Boundaries: Trees can help delineate your property.

Once you determine the tree's function, you need to pick the best spot to plant it. To help ensure that you plant the right tree in the right place, there are a few things to consider:

• Short flowering trees are ideal planted under power lines. These trees will not clash with the lines and will add color and beauty to your yard. Some examples of short flowering trees are redbuds, dogwoods and crabapples.
• Large deciduous trees are best used to shade your home and yard. These trees should be planted on the southeast, southwest and west side of your home to provide cooling shade in the summer and won't obstruct the low winter sun. Examples of large shade trees are maples, oaks, spruce and many pine species.
• To slow strong winter winds, many people use evergreen trees, but large deciduous trees work well, too. Windbreaks should be planted on the north side of your home, a fair distance from the nearest structure. Spruce, firs and pine trees make fine windbreaks.

Before you plant, you should also discover which trees grow best in Iowa. To do so, consult the Arbor Day Foundation's Hardiness Zone Map at www.arborday.org/treeinfo, or contact a local nursery or arborist.

Once you've determined the function of your tree and which species you'd like, you're ready to plant. You must take special care of your tree during planting time to ensure that it will grow healthy and strong.

When planting a containerized tree, there are six steps you need to take.

1. Call before you dig. Call the 811 hotline to have underground utilities located.
2. Handle your tree with care. Always lift it up by its root ball and keep its roots moist until you plant it.
3. Dig the proper hole. Dig 2 to 5 times wider than the diameter of the root ball with sloping sides.
4. Dig to the proper depth. The trunk flare of your tree should sit slightly above ground level.
5. Back fill the hole with native soil. That is, unless the soil is all clay. Tamp soil gently to fill large air spaces.
6. Mulch your new tree. Add 2-3 inches of mulch around the planting area but keep it 1-2 inches away from the trunk.

Planting instructions for bare-root trees and ball and burlap trees can be found at http://www.arborday.org/trees/tips/treePlanting.cfm.

Americans have been planting trees on Arbor Day since 1872. Nebraska City, Neb., resident, civic leader and agriculturist J. Sterling Morton urged Nebraskans to "set aside one day to plant trees, both forest and fruit." The tree-planting holiday was so popular that by 1920, more than 45 states and U.S. territories annually celebrated Arbor Day. Today, the tree-planters' holiday is observed in all 50 states and in many countries around the world.

###

About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education of more than 1 million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.