Tour special exhibition of American Chairs with docents

The Figge Art Museum presents the art talk "Goldilocks' Dilemma" at 7 pm Thursday, July 7. The talk is offered in conjunction with the special exhibitionThe Art of Seating: 200 Years of American Chair Design. Sandy Fritz, Judie Lance, Lois Nichols, Stephanie Rapahel-Nakos will talk about their favorite chairs: a Shaker rocking chair (c.1840), an office chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for his Johnson Wax Company building in Racine, Wisconsin, and a "Texas Longhorn Chair" (ca. 1890) made with actual horns. The talk lasts 30 minutes. 

The Art of Seating will be on view at the Figge through September 4. The exhibition is developed by the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville and the Jacobsen Collection of American Art, and organized by International Art & Artists, Washington, D.C. For additional exhibition-related programs, please visit the Figge website at www.figgeart.org.

Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members.

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LAS VEGAS - Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) has obtained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin operating the Boeing 757-200 aircraft type.

"This is an important day for Allegiant," Andrew C. Levy, Allegiant Travel Company President, said.  "The addition of the Boeing 757-200 will play an important role in our company's future growth.  Our operations team worked long and hard to ensure the completion of this certification and we thank them for their dedication in achieving this important goal."

Allegiant's operating fleet now consists of 51 MD-80 aircraft and one Boeing 757-200 aircraft.  The company owns three additional 757-200 aircraft, which are being leased to two European carriers until mid-2012.  Allegiant has committed to the purchase of two additional 757-200s, which is expected to occur during the fourth quarter of 2011.  These aircraft are expected to be introduced into Allegiant's fleet during the first quarter of 2012.

The Boeing 757-200 is a narrow body, twin-engine, medium-range jetliner.  Each 757-200 will hold 217 passengers in a single-class, three-by-three seat configuration.  Allegiant will begin to operate the 757 on existing routes between Las Vegas and McAllen, Texas, and between Las Vegas and Rockford, Ill.

The next focus for the company will be to gain Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards 180 (ETOPS) certification and Flag Carrier status from the FAA for the 757-200.  Both are required for flying to Hawaii, which the company anticipates achieving in summer 2012.

"We look forward to serving the Hawaiian market with the same business model that has made Allegiant so successful on the mainland?linking travelers in small cities to world-class leisure destinations," Levy added.

Allegiant, travel is our deal.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) is focused on linking travelers in small cities to world-class leisure destinations such as Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix-Mesa, Orlando, Fla., and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.  Through its subsidiary, Allegiant Air, the company operates a low-cost, high-efficiency, all-jet passenger airline offering air travel both on a stand-alone basis and bundled with hotel rooms, rental cars and other travel-related services.  In 2010, Allegiant was ranked number one for low-cost carriers in Aviation Week's Top Performing Airline study and ranked 25 on FORTUNE magazine's Fastest-Growing Companies list.  Receive breaking news from Allegiant by visiting Allegiant's Facebook Fan Page atwww.facebook.com/Allegiant or follow Allegiant on Twitter at twitter.com/allegianttravel.

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"Foreign Events and Views that impacted the American Civil War" will be presented by Dr. Art Pitz, professor emeritus of Blackhawk College, at the German American Heritage Center and Museum on Sunday July, 10 at 2:00.The presentation will feature a review of views and events outside the United States which impacted how foreign powers analyzed the conflict. Topics include the Corn laws in England, famine in Ireland, the 1848 revolutions in Europe reforms in Egypt in the mid 1800's and immigration patterns from abroad. How did they influence thought prior to the outbreak of American hostilities?

Dr Pitz is a much requested speaker on historical topics and foreign affairs in the Quad City region.

Cost: Adults $5.00. Adults over 60 $4.00, Children 5-17 $3.00, DAHC members free.

Reforms Will Improve Infant and Newborn Safety Throughout Illinois

NAPERVILLE - July 6, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation to increase the safety of infant and newborn children throughout Illinois. Under House Bill 2099, child care workers who care for newborns and infants will be required to complete regular training on how to prevent sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

"It is important that those who work with our children possess the most up-to-date health and safety information," said Governor Quinn. "This legislation ensures that child care workers in Illinois will continue to provide the highest standard of care."

House Bill 2099 requires all licensed child care facility employees who care for newborns and infants to complete training at least every three years on sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and the safe sleep recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The bill was an initiative of SIDS of Illinois, an organization of parents who have lost children due to SIDS or SUID and are committed to educating others about preventable infant death. SUID and SIDS are leading causes of death in infants under two years of age, and approximately 20 percent of SIDS deaths occur while the infant is in the care of a non-parental caregiver.

House Bill 2099 was sponsored by Representative Emily McAsey (D-Lockport) and Senator A.J. Wilhelmi (D-Joliet) and takes effect on Jan. 1, 2012.

In July 2010, Governor Quinn signed House Bill 5930, which requires birth hospitals to provide safe sleep information to parents as they leave the hospital. This legislation took effect at the beginning of 2011.

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