To mark its 25th Anniversary the Quad City Youth Conference, welcomes MWAH! as its keynote speaker. MWAH! (Messages Which Are Hopeful!) is a 12 member group of young performing artists from the Chicago, Illinois area which combines drama, hip hop, dance, and various genres of songs written and produced by troupe members as well as cover songs. A common thread is choices and the importance of continually striving to make the right ones.

The one-hour issues oriented and audience interactive performance will be the keynote on both Monday and Tuesday, January 24-25, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. in the Mississippi River Hall at The River Center, located at 136 E. 3rd Street in Davenport. Nearly a thousand students from 28 Illinois and Iowa high schools and junior high schools are expected to attend this 2011 edition of the Quad Cities Youth Conference - high school students on Monday and junior high students on Tuesday.

Following the keynote presentation, the Quad City Youth Conference also offers students a choice of three workshop sessions. Nearly 20 different community agencies have come together to offer workshops to enhance decision-making skills necessary for living in a socially complex world. In addition to the keynote presentation, MWAH! will also be offering three workshop sessions on both Monday and Tuesday that will deal with issues that relate to teenagers in 2011.

Additional information on the MWAH! Troupe is available on its website at www.mwah.net. The troupe may be reached by phone at 630-993-0003. The Quad City Youth Conference is the only event of its kind in the Quad Cities and one of the few nationally. For 25 years, local schools and human service agencies have joined hands to plan and present the annual Quad Cities Youth Conference, an event that is focused on positively impacting area youth.


(MAQUOKETA, IA) Maquoketa Art Experience announces the return of the weekly Sunday Drawing Sessions scheduled for February 6-May 1, 2011.

Beginning February 6, 2011 Maquoketa Art Experience will host a drawing session every Sunday afternoon from 1-4 p.m. at Maquoketa Art Experience, 124 S. Main Street in Maquoketa. Drawing sessions are open to artists of all skill levels. There is no instruction for these classes, rather, a growing community of artists working alongside each other. Each Sunday session, hosted by artist Evanny Henningson, features a live clothed model that holds poses of varying length. Sessions will start with several quick sketches of poses that last for just a few minutes and gradually increase minutes until we reach a final full hour pose.

Artists of all levels are invited to drop in for the sessions. Sessions cost $8 at the door or you can purchase a 10-session punch card for $60. Punch cards can be purchased at the beginning of the session, by stopping in to Maquoketa Art Experience, or by mailing a check to: MAE, PO Box 993, Maquoketa, IA 52060 and they will mail you a punch card.

Easels & drawing horses are provided. Bring your own pencils, sketch pads, and other materials that you prefer to draw with. Register by calling Maquoketa Art Experience at 563.652.9925 or just drop in.

Maquoketa Art Experience is dedicated to bringing accomplished artists to Maquoketa for short- and long-term residencies, workshops, and exhibitions. For more information contact Paula Neuhaus at maquoketaartexperience@hotmail.com or by calling 563.652.9925.

...Legislation Bolsters Economy Without Adding To The Deficit

WASHINGTON (Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011) - A bipartisan group of Senators will introduce patent reform legislation when the Senate returns to session next week, Senate Judiciary Committee Members Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) announced Thursday.  The Judiciary Committee has worked to advance patent reform legislation since 2006.  Leahy is the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and has included the Patent Reform Act of 2011 on the Committee's first executive business meeting agenda.  Hatch is the Committee's senior Republican member and a former Chairman, and Grassley is the panel's incoming Ranking Republican.

The Patent Reform Act of 2011, which will be introduced on Jan. 25, mirrors key improvements to the long-pending legislation that were announced last March as part of an compromise reached by the bill's lead sponsors with then-Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), and others.  The legislation will make the first significant changes to the nation's patent system in nearly 60 years, creating jobs without adding to the nation's deficit.  The legislation remains based on the original version introduced in the 109th Congress by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Congressman Howard Berman (D-Calif.).

"Patent reform is a commonsense, bipartisan effort to protect jobs and bolster the economy," said Leahy.  "The Patent Reform Act of 2011 is the product of years of careful consideration and compromise.  Promoting economic growth continues to be a top priority for both Democrats and Republicans, and patent reform is part of that effort.  This has always been a bipartisan, bicameral effort, and I look forward to working with Senator Hatch, Senator Grassley and others and with Chairman Smith in the House to enact meaningful reform this year.  This will be the first piece of legislation considered by the Judiciary Committee this year, and I hope the Senate will act promptly on this job-creating bill.  Action by Congress can no longer be delayed."

"Reforming our patent system is a critical priority whose time has more than come.  It is essential to growing our economy, creating jobs and promoting innovation in our nation," said Hatch.  "Working alongside Senate Judiciary Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Grassley and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, I know we can move this critical legislation forward."

"The United States is the most innovative country in the world," said Grassley.  "An efficient patent system is a necessary component to continuing and enhancing this job creating ingenuity and entrepreneurship. I look forward to working with Chairman Leahy and Senator Hatch to move this important legislation forward."

The Patent Reform Act makes changes to first-window post-grant review, inter partes review, willfulness, interlocutory appeals, Patent and Trademark Office funding, and supplemental examinations.  The legislation will also transition the nation's patent system to a first-inventor-to-file system and will provide certainty in damages calculations.  The legislation will also include important provisions to improve patent quality.

The compromise legislation on which the patent Reform Act of 2011 is based was supported by the Obama administration and by industries and stakeholders, including the National Association of Manufacturers, the United Steelworkers, the National Venture Capital Association, the American Association of Universities, and companies representing all sectors of the patent community who have been urging action on patent reform proposals for years.

This will be the fourth consecutive Congress in which comprehensive patent reform legislation has been introduced.  The Senate Judiciary Committee has held eight hearings in the last three Congresses examining the need for patent reform.  The Senate Judiciary Committee approved patent reform legislation in 2009.  That bill was cosponsored by 15 Senators.  In September, 25 Senators joined together to urge Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to schedule floor time to consider the legislation.

The text of the Patent Reform Act of 2011 is available online.

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On January 23rd - 29th, 2011, school choice advocates across the nation will unite to shine a spotlight on effective education options for every child.  National School Choice Week was created to raise awareness about all forms of educational choice, including charter schools, independent schools, magnet schools, and home schooling, and the need for an effective educational system that offers parents the freedom to choose their children's education.  Over 150 organizations, leading policymakers, and opinion leaders are "all in" for this mission, including The Center for Education Reform, American Federation for Children, Alliance for School Choice, Children's Scholarship Fund, Association of American Educators, Foundation for Excellence in Education, and many more.  School Choice Week isn't about raising one education model above others or doing away with public schools, but about reforming the system so that every parent has the power to choose the education that fits their individual child.

Educational alternatives give parents the opportunity to choose a setting that will work best for their children, resulting in an education that will pay dividends for a lifetime.  The best way to find the right fit for your child is to visit a variety of schools, talk with admission representatives and faculty, take a school tour, and even take your child to a sporting event, school play, or science fair to experience extracurricular options and get a feel for the school climate.  Most importantly, ask questions!  Inquire about the curriculum, how quality and achievement are measured, student-to-teacher ratio, faculty teaching experience, availability of independent study and accelerated classes, and school accreditation.

How will you observe this week of focused attention on education alternatives?  We suggest you explore the options in your community!  Join us for an Open House at Rivermont Collegiate, on Thursday, January 27th from 6:00-8:00 p.m.  Rivermont is the Quad Cities' only private, independent, nonsectarian college-prep school, serving students in preschool through twelfth grade.  At Rivermont, a challenging curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, and knowledge application and small class sizes ensure focused attention and individualized instruction.  What are you waiting for?  Drop in to explore our philosophy and curriculum, take a tour of campus, and get answers to all your questions about Rivermont!

Rivermont Collegiate is located at 1821 Sunset Drive, directly off 18th Street behind K&K Hardware in Bettendorf.

For additional information on National School Choice Week, visit http://schoolchoiceweek.com

For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate or Thursday's Open House, contact Cindy Murray at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org

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The 2011 Quad Cities Navy Week, scheduled for June 16-22, is among the top events on the Navy's 2011 Calendar for America, which sets forth the service's most prominent outreach activities across the country and was officially announced today by the Chief of Naval Operations.

Navy Weeks show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy by providing an opportunity to meet Sailors face-to-face and learn about the Navy's critical mission and its broad-ranging capabilities through community engagements.

    • "Our Outreach throughout the year helps all Americans better understand the value of their Navy and the service of the men and women of our country who are Sailors. The events we support and the relationships we build with communities across the nation allow us to share the story of America's Navy in a meaningful and memorable way."

---Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations

 

The U.S. Navy conducts approximately 20 Navy Weeks each year, reaching out to communities across the country to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy. During a Navy Week celebration, the Navy concentrates a variety of outreach events in a metropolitan area for a week, sharing the Navy story with as many people as possible.

The Navy plans to include the following elements in Quad Cities Navy Week:

- Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron "Blue Angels" performances

- Sailors from the USS The Sullivans

- Navy Band musical performances

- Admirals and other senior Navy leaders, who will engage with local corporate, civic, government and education leaders

- Navy Diver demonstrations in local aquariums

- Navy simulators and other interactive displays

- Visits to area schools

- Community service projects and events with local sports franchises

Other areas that have been selected to host a 2011 Navy Week include : Tampa Bay; Austin, Texas; Mississippi; Dallas-Fort Worth; Denver; New Orleans; Philadelphia; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Chicago; Rochester, N.Y.; Detroit; Los Angeles; Fargo, N.D.; Indianapolis; Cincinnati; Omaha, Neb.; New England; Albuquerque, N.M.; El Paso, Texas; and San Antonio.

For more information on the 2011 Quad Cities Navy Week, please contact Lt. Cmdr. Pam Bou at pam.bou@navyweek.org.More detailed information on each Navy Week can be found at our website, www.navyweek.org. For high resolution photos from past Navy Week celebrations, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/navyweek/sets/.

The 2011 Navy Week season will also help commemorate the Centennial of Naval Aviation, which kicks off in 2011 and continues as a year-long celebration with a variety of commemorative events planned across the country throughout the year. For more information on the Centennial of Naval Aviation latest information, visit http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/centennial/Pages/welcome.aspx.

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 20, 2011 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated eight counties in Iowa as natural disaster areas because of losses caused by the combined effects of severe storms, excessive rain, flooding, flash flooding, hail, high winds and tornadoes that occurred May 1 - Sept. 30, 2010.
"President Obama and I understand these conditions caused severe damage to forage crops, pasture, corn, oats and soybeans, and we want to help," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "This action will provide help to hundreds of farmers who suffered significant production losses."

The counties are:

Iowa                           Johnson                       Madison                      Sioux

Jackson                        Louisa                         Scott                          Washington


Farmers and ranchers in the following counties in Iowa also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous:

Adair                          Des Moines                 Keokuk                       Plymouth

Benton                        Dubuque                     Linn                           Polk

Cedar                          Guthrie                        Lyon                           Poweshiek

Cherokee                     Henry                          Muscatine                    Tama

Clarke                         Jefferson                     O'Brien                        Union

Clinton                        Jones                          Osceola                       Warren

Dallas

Farmers and ranchers in the following counties in Illinois and South Dakota also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous:

Illinois

Carroll                Henderson          Jo Daviess          Mercer                Rock Island


South Dakota

Lincoln                        Union

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas Jan. 18, 2011, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.

USDA also has made other programs available to assist farmers and ranchers, including the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE), which was approved as part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008; the Emergency Conservation Program; Federal Crop Insurance; and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

FSA news releases are available on FSA's website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov via the "News and Events" link.

MILWAUKEE, WI - During this time of year it's a natural instinct for our bodies to tell us to stay indoors and load up on calories to keep warm and cozy all winter long. But this sort of lifestyle may cause one to pack on the pounds and can lead to a range of health-related concerns.

While some prefer to head to the gym to keep up their fitness routine, Amy Goldwater, M.S., educator, former body-building champion, and physical fitness expert for TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, recommends a list of creative outdoor activities to enjoy with family and friends.

"Fun activities like snowball fights, making snow angels, and building a snowman count as exercise and burn calories," Goldwater notes. "For example, a 150 pound person burns an average of 285 calories per hour building a snowman, 319 calories per hour during that snowball fight, and 214 calories burned per hour making snow angels."

Other winter "fitness" activities to consider include :
• Building a snow fort or igloo;
• Playing chase, tag, or hide and seek;
• Having a scavenger hunt for winter nature items, such as animal tracks, pinecones, or bird nests;
• Shoveling a path in the yard like a maze;
• Setting up an obstacle course in the yard with jumps, tunnels, and other challenges;
• Playing Frisbee/disc golf on a local course or at home.

All of these activities burn significant calories during participation. In fact, an hour of snow shoveling can burn 340 calories.

Traditional outdoor winter activities also are excellent fitness opportunities, according to Goldwater. Ice-skating, hiking in the snow, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, offer great cardiovascular workouts. Remember to dress warmly and in layers; stay hydrated; keep hands, feet, and head warm with outerwear; and keep an eye on the weather forecast for snow and wind chill warnings.

Eat a light snack an hour or two before working out, to add energy and prevent distracting hunger pangs. Ideal snack options should be low-fat and include fruit smoothies; a few handfuls of nuts; hard-boiled eggs; and fast-digesting, high-glycemic fresh fruit like watermelon, grapes, pineapple, and bananas.

"Sunblock is important in the winter, too," Goldwater says. "Using an SPF of 15 or higher will help protect your skin from sunburn that can occur when exercising in snow or high altitudes. Also, don't forget to wear a lip balm that contains sunscreen."

TOPS Club Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the original, nonprofit weight-loss support and wellness education organization, was established more than 63 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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WASHINGTON – January 21, 2011 - Senator Chuck Grassley said today that eight Iowa counties have received a primary natural disaster designation and 27 Iowa counties have received a contiguous disaster designation from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, due to severe storms that occurred in 2010.

The following eight counties were named primary natural disaster counties due to severe storms that occurred from May 1 to September 20, 2010: Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, Louisa, Madison, Scott, Sioux and Washington.

The following 25 counties were named contiguous disaster counties due to severe storms that occurred from May 1 to September 20, 2010: Adair, Benton, Cedar, Cherokee, Clarke, Clinton, Dallas, Des Moines, Dubuque, Guthrie, Henry, Jefferson, Jones, Keokuk, Linn, Lyon, Muscatine, O'Brien, Osceola, Plymouth, Polk, Poweshiek, Tama, Union and Warren.

The following two counties were named contiguous disaster counties due to severe storms that occurred from June 17 to November 1, 2010: Winnebago and Worth.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farm operators in both primary and contiguous counties are eligible to be considered for assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA).  This assistance includes FSA emergency loans and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program.  Producers have eight months from the date of the secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loan assistance.  The department says the FSA will consider each application on its own merit by taking into account the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability. Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information.

"These emergency loans are available to help farmers recover from losses caused by storms in 2010," Grassley said. "I encourage all affected farmers in Iowa to apply for assistance."

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Rivermont Collegiate is pleased to announce the following students have been recognized on the Second Quarter Honor Roll:

Upper School Honor Roll (9th-12th)

Headmaster's List (3.85-4.00)
Souriyo Dishak
Michael Garneau
Pavane Gorrepati
Summer Lawrence
Alejandra Martinez
Christine Mbakwe
Matthew Newsome
Meghana Pagadala
Shravya Pothula
Ramya Prabhu
Kelsey Qu
Darsani Reddy
Ashish Tadepalli
ChiIeong Wong

Distinction (3.50-3.84)
Vishal Bobba
Daniel Foster-Pray
Christopher Mbakwe
Victoria Mbakwe
Amanda McVey
Tristan O'Harrow
Darcy Ryan
Asha Tadepalli
Joann Weeks
Meghana Yerrapothu

Merit (3.00-3.49)
Harriette Clarke
Rebecca Cupp
Karanveer Gill
Basilia Koster
Sarah E. McVey
James Weeks

Middle School Honor Roll (6th-8th)

High Honors (All grades B+ or higher - or B or higher for courses designated as Upper School level)
Helena Barber
Madeline Bowman
Sarah Bowman
Adam Dada
Christian Elliott
Brandon Eckhardt
Shivani Ganesh
Hannah Hansen
Kaitlyn Mayfield
Grace Moran
Benjamin Nordick
Manasa Pagadala
Emilia Porubcin
Michal Porubcin
Bhavana Purighalla
Isaac Sears
Suhas Seshadri
Alexander Skillin
Marta Storl-Desmond
Loring Telleen
Claire Wallace

Honors (All grades B- or higher - or C+ or higher for courses designated as Upper School level)
Jay Dolan
Hema Chimpidi
Madison Ellis
Samuel Lederman
Windsor Lundy
Hayley Moran
Collin Hunt
Lee Meier
Harrison Qu
Gabriela Schermer
Jacob Vaughn

For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate, contact Cindy Murray, Admissions Director, at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org<mailto:murray@rvmt.org>

Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only private, independent, nonsectarian college prep school, serving students in preschool through twelfth grade.

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CHICAGO - January 19, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today released a statement in support of the federal Affordable Care Act:

"The Affordable Care Act has already provided Illinois with many of the tools and resources needed to ensure that more of our families and employers have access to important health care benefits and consumer protections.

Through Illinois' federally-funded high risk pool, we have secured health coverage and financial security for more than 1,000 people who were denied coverage by health insurance companies because of pre-existing conditions. We are currently expanding that program to ensure access to affordable and comprehensive health coverage for even more individuals who have been denied private coverage.

We have seen 121,000 Illinois seniors receive $250 rebate checks to help cover the costs of prescription drugs. And health insurance companies must now cover immunizations, mammograms and other important preventative care procedures without charging the high deductibles and co-payments that once deterred consumers from routine checkups.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more students graduating from college in Illinois can remain covered under their parents' health insurance policies. And children in Illinois can no longer be denied health coverage because of a pre-existing condition.

We intend to implement the Affordable Care Act so that our families and employers have appropriate health care options and much-needed financial security. Everyone in Illinois deserves access to meaningful and affordable health care.

I urge the 112th Congress to move this country forward in positive, constructive debate focused on affordable health care for all Americans, rather than re-visiting the politics of the past."

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