DES MOINES, IA (08/10/2010)(readMedia)-- The U.S. House of Representatives today approved legislation containing emergency funds to help states cope with the Great Recession and stave off massive layoffs of educators. The House joined the Senate in passing H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, legislation that will keep educators working and help states with Medicaid funding. It provides $10 billion for educators' jobs and $16 billion for a Medicaid funding assistance program known as FMAP.

The legislation would provide $96 million in federal funding for Iowa and help save an estimated 1800 jobs.

A Congressional Budget Office analysis found that the legislation, which is fully paid for, will reduce the deficit by $1.4 billion over 10 years. The bill, which the Department of Education estimates will save some 161,000 educators' jobs, now goes to President Obama for his signature.

"This is a great day for Iowa's kids and schools. $96 million will go a long way toward reducing overcrowded classrooms, improving program offerings and bringing educators back into their buildings so they can do what they do best, help Iowa's kids to learn and grow," said Chris Bern, President of the Iowa State Education Association. "Everyone wins with this important legislation," Bern added.

"We deeply appreciate Senator Harkin's leadership in moving this legislation forward and keeping the best interests of students ahead of politics. We also appreciate the support from Congressmen Boswell, Braley, and Loebsack and Governor Culver's strong commitment to Iowa's kids and public educators," Bern said.

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BOSTON?It's normal for to the death of a close friend or family member to bring sadness, mood changes, or trouble sleeping and eating. For some people, though, grief and bereavement can evolve into clinical depression, according to Coping with Grief & Loss: A guide to healing, a newly updated report from Harvard Health Publications.

While most people pass through grief or bereavement without professional help, it's important to seek a helping hand if troubling or long-lasting symptoms of depression begin to interfere with daily life. Talk with your doctor or a mental health professional if you have suicidal thoughts or experience any of these other symptoms of bereavement-related depression:

• persistent feelings of worthlessness, which is generally felt with depression but not with healthy grief
• ongoing guilt
• marked mental and physical sluggishness
• persistent trouble functioning
• hallucinations, other than occasionally thinking you hear or see the deceased.

Small studies suggest that psychotherapy, antidepressant medication, or both may ease symptoms of depression associated with grief.

Sometimes people feel so mired in grief that months or even years go by with little or no let-up. This may be a sign of complicated grief, a term mental health professionals use when grieving proves especially difficult. Complicated grief combines features of depression with those of post-traumatic stress disorder. Among adults who suffer a significant loss, about one in 11 experiences complicated grief. Symptoms include

• intrusive, upsetting memories, thoughts, and images of the deceased
• constant, painful yearning for the deceased
• an inability to accept the reality of the death
• frequent nightmares
• detachment from others
• desperate loneliness and helplessness, anger, and bitterness
• thoughts of suicide and wanting to die.

Other reasons to seek professional help include drug abuse, increased use of tobacco or alcohol, gaining or losing a significant amount of weight, experiencing uncontrollable anxiety, and failing to feel somewhat better after a year has passed. Talk to your doctor or a mental health professional if you think you may have complicated grief or depression related to grief or bereavement.

This updated Special Health Report also covers these topics:

• The health effects of grief
• A guide to grieving at different stages in life
• Practical coping strategies

Coping with Grief & Loss is available for $18 from Harvard Health Publications (www.health.harvard.edu), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School. Order it online at www.health.harvard.edu/GLor by calling 877-649-9457 (toll-free).

This will be the third year that Ryan Companies has been the presenting sponsor for the Student Hunger Drive's Corporate Challenge. "The Corporate Challenge is a great opportunity for the business community to be a role model in community awareness that the students can look to as they prepare to kick off the Student Hunger Drive in their schools," said Greg Lundgren, President of Ryan Companies, USA, Inc. The Quad City Area high school students will kick off their hunger drives at the end of September.

The John Deere Foundation will help the Student Hunger Drive celebrate its 25 year anniversary. The Corporate Challenge Hunger Drive addresses a pressing problem in the Quad Cities region," says John Bustle, Vice President, John Deere Foundation. "It is a great way for all companies and businesses in our region to support our citizens.

A John Deere Foundation grant of up to $25,000 has been approved for this initiative, extending our support for the River Bend Food Bank, which includes the development and funding of BackPack programs in elementary schools, and individual capacity-building grants to help it meet the increasing demand for its services."

Companies participating are: Alternatives for the Older Adult, American Rental Association, Alcoa, Bettendorf Family YMCA, City of Davenport, Deloitte, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Eye Surgeons Associates PC, Gere Dismer Architects, Isabel Bloom LLC, Java Java, Junior Achievement of the Heartland Inc, Lujack's Northpark Auto Plaza, McLaughlin Body Co., McLaughlin Motors, Mel Foster Company, Midland Corporation, Quad City Times, Ruhl &Ruhl Commercial, Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors, Ryan Companies US Inc, Sam's Club, Snyder Park & Nelson PC, The National Bank, Trissel Graham & Toole, United Way of the Quad Cities Area, Weiss Family Chiropractic, Wells Fargo Bank and Walgreens.

"Demand for our services is at an unprecedented high", said Tom Laughlin, Executive Director of River Bend Food Bank. "The Corporate Challenge is a great way for the business community to join us in our daily battle against hunger". River Bend Foodbank is the largest hunger relief organization in the Quad City area with an annual distribution of over 6 million pounds of food through a distribution network of 300 feeding programs in 22 counties.

"The Corporate Challenge has been a natural progression from the students that were initially involved in the Student Hunger Drive to becoming vital leaders in our community and carrying on the passion of volunteerism and giving back to their neighbors in need," said Sarah Johnson, Student Hunger Drive Advisory Board Member.

"I am confident that this group of enthusiastic businesses will be successful in reaching our 50,000 pound goal to receive the generous $25,000 award from The John Deere Foundation," says Amy Pearson, Corporate Challenge Director for the Student Hunger Drive.

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"None of the Above" Campaign Continues at the State Fair

DES MOINES, IA - Friday, August 13, 2010 - Jonathan Narcisse, an independent candidate for Governor running on the "Iowa Party" ticket submitted nominating petitions containing signatures from nearly 1,900 Iowans from 47 counties and was ballot certified by the Secretary of State's office at close of business August 12, 2010.

The Narcisse For Iowa campaign started collecting signatures in late June following the announcement of Rick Marlar (Washington, IA) as his running mate but discovered last week, on the eve of turning in the signatures, that the Secretary of State's office changed the petition form for the gubernatorial race on their website July 20, 2010. Rather than risk a challenge by using the previously collected signatures, the Narcisse For Iowa campaign started anew. The new signatures, to put an independent on the ballot, were gathered in just over a week.

"The Secretary of State's office was very gracious and provided our campaign a letter approving use of the old petition forms. I knew, however, our campaign had the organizational strength and human resource power to collect the required signatures and secure support from the number of counties required. The window left open before the filing deadline was never daunting to us. It invigorated our team, especially in light of the skepticism that we could even qualify for the ballot, to begin with. We did it in just over a week. Plus, as a former boxer, I appreciate the value of a tune up and this exercise served as an excellent warm up for our official 99 county campaign," stated Narcisse.

Narcisse, who is seven counties short of completing his second 99 county circuit, has seen a rising tide of grassroots support emerge for his "None of the Above" campaign.

"Entering the contest we had strong support from various constituencies - teachers, labor, pro-family Catholics, and the African American community - on the Democratic side - all groups significantly betrayed by the Culver Administration. We have also enjoyed support from significant numbers of constitutionalist and fiscal and social accountability advocates that have heard my views during weekly radio appearances on KWMT in Fort Dodge, KBBG in Waterloo and WHO Radio, with its statewide audience," stated Narcisse.

"One pleasant surprise has been the number of Vander Plaat supporters breaking our way. They understand, despite the rhetoric of candidate Branstad, that his sixteen years in office make it clear he just doesn't care about their priorities. So I'm seeing a lot of that support pour my way especially from rural communities," stated Narcisse.

"Iowans are not enthusiatic about a sixth Branstad/Culver administration. Despite the two waging the most negative campaign in Iowa's history an honest examination of their records, practices, policies and especially their contributors, confirms the differences between these two men are primarily stylistic not substantive. Neither has offered a concrete plan to address the critical challenges facing our state. If they have I'd love to read it," stated Narcisse.

"As a member of the Des Moines School Board I fought for our children, parents, teachers and taxpayers and spoke truth to power without compromise. Iowans are hungry for that type of open, honest and accessible leadership that will place their needs and the needs of their children and this state above partisan and special interest politics. I bring that to the table," stated Narcisse.

"Our campaign also brings to the table real solutions. As I travel around the state, whether I meet with citizens, civic and political leaders or media I white board solutions. I show how we address the challenges of this state and how to pay for those solutions. In these times Iowans want to hear pragmatic ideas and common sense solutions."

The four pillars of the Narcisse for Iowa governance agenda are consistent with the values and priorities of Iowans:

* Creating accountable, efficient, and transparent government;
* Restoring a "World Class Plus" educational system;
* Rebuilding a low tax, free-market, prosperous state economy;
* Create a healthy Iowa by leading by example to fight lifestyle and obesity induced disease

Jonathan Narcisse is a former Des Moines School Board member, publisher and editor of multiple publications, radio show host and community advocate. During the early part of the decade he authored a 3,500 page report analyzing the condition of African-Americans in Iowa's 99 counties, and headed statewide health and education initiatives.

In 2009 Narcisse published "An Iowa Worth Fighting For: A Ten Step Vision Plan for 21st Century Governance." Narcisse evaluates the history of state expenditures versus population, reducing state government, corruption and accountability, tax reform, education reform through parental control and academic entrepreneurship, local control and property rights, public safety and drug interdiction and immigration reform.  The full text of this can be found at www.AnIowaWorthFightingFor.com

He has received more than 400 national, state and local honors and awards including recognition from the Bush (Sr.), Clinton and Bush administrations and the Branstad, Vilsack and Culver administrations. He has finished second twice in national chess competitions and is a multiple state champion. He also had a 17-0 record as a semi-pro boxer while living in the Washington, D.C. area.

He has a son, Johnce, and two daughters, 14 year old daughter, Integrity, an 11 year old daughter, Perseverance and three grandchildren.

Narcisse, who lives in Des Moines, will spend the next ten days at the Iowa State Fair. Following that he will host "Iowa Issue Forums" throughout the state. Details on Jonathan's grassroots campaign can be found at www.NarcisseForIowa.com.  Media can contact Jonathan directly at 515-770-1218, or at jonathan@narcisseforiowa.com.