17 Jun 2010

Governor Quinn Signs Bill to Modernize Illinois Telecommunications Act

By William Palmisano

New Law Will Help Create Jobs, Encourage Investment in New Technologies and Protect Consumers

CHICAGO - June 15, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed a bill into law that overhauls and modernizes Illinois' outdated telecommunications law. The new law will continue protecting consumers, while creating jobs and encouraging private investment in new broadband and wireless technologies.

"Investment in broadband and wireless technology is a key to creating better jobs and providing unique educational opportunities across Illinois," said Governor Quinn. "I am proud to sign this law to encourage private investment in these critical technologies, which will put more people to work and protect consumers."

The Illinois Telecommunications Act was written in 1985 - well before the widespread use of cell phones and broadband Internet. Today, approximately 25 percent of Illinois households rely only on cell phones.

The new law eliminates obsolete regulatory standards, which will enable telecom companies to shift more investment to wireless and broadband technologies. In Illinois, a 1 to 3 percent increase in broadband penetration would create 13,000 to 39,000 non-farm jobs, according to the Brookings Institution.

Senate Bill 107, sponsored by Sen. Michael Bond (D-Grayslake) and Rep. Kevin A. McCarthy (D-Orland Park), allows telecommunications companies to opt-in to a new form of regulation that will promote more competition and encourage more investment in modern broadband and wireless technologies.

The new law also contains important consumer protections to ensure Illinois residents still have a variety of affordable phone service options. The law extends low-cost packages that are designed to protect consumers who still rely on landline service, but have varying communication needs. The low-cost package rates will be frozen for the next three years.

"One of the most important aspects of this legislation was that we have safeguards in place to protect consumers in Illinois," said Sen. Bond. "We wanted to ensure that residents who still rely heavily on land-line telephone service will have affordable options to choose from. As we make strides to boost investment in cutting-edge technology, we want to make sure we are providing security for those individuals who rely on land-line phone service."

"The signing of Senate Bill 107 considerably increases the possibility of greater private sector broadband investment in Illinois. The Legislature and the Governor's Office worked diligently to make sure this legislation is a winner for consumer, providers and employers across Illinois. The unanimous support of the General Assembly confirms the positive changes this legislation promises for our state," said Rep. McCarthy.

The Illinois Commerce Commission will retain the authority to impose penalties on providers who do not comply with general service quality requirements, which could amount to more than $200,000 per offense for a provider. This legislation takes effect immediately.                  

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17 Jun 2010

DISCOVER SUMMER ADVENTURES AT RIVERMONT COLLEGIATE

By Tammi Burrell

Keep young minds sharp over the summer with educational programs at Rivermont Collegiate! Rivermont is offering an assortment of Summer Adventures for children from preschool age and up.  Programs cover a wide variety of interests - from cooking to aviation - to French and band Camp. Children from any school may register. Each one week session 8:30-11:30 a.m. or 12-3pm is $110. Rivermont strives to prepare students who are grounded in the basics, yet able to think analytically and creatively, to confidently meet the challenges of the 21st century.  Check out full class descriptions and obtain a registration form at www.rvmt.org.

Preschool - Junior Kindergarten - Kindergarten

June 21-25 What's Cooking

June 28-July 2 We Dig Dinosaurs!

July 12-16 Animal ABCs

July 19-23 Take Me Out to the Ballgame

July 26-30 Planes, Rockets and Aviation


Ages 7-11

June 21-25 Bits, Bites and Hopefully NO Bugs!

July 12-16 Whoooo is a Genius?

For enrollment information on Rivermont Collegiate contact Cindy Murray at 563-359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org.

For additional information on Summer Adventures at Rivermont Collegiate contact Tammi Burrell at 563-359-1366 ext. 337 or burrell@rvmt.org.

 

Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only independent, non-sectarian, PS-12 college preparatory school, ranked #1 on Iowa's AP Index.

 

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17 Jun 2010

Call it Quits with new TRICARE Smoking Quitline

By Tricare

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - TRICARE's Smoking Quitline is now accepting calls! All non-Medicare eligible TRICARE beneficiaries within the U.S. can get assistance with going "smoke-free" by calling the toll-free quitline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays.

Beneficiaries residing in the TRICARE South Region can reach the quitline at 877-414-9949.  Beneficiaries living in the North Region can call 866-459-8766 and those living in the West Region can call 866-244-6870.

TRICARE's Smoking Quitline is a telephone support and referral service. Beneficiaries who call will be assessed and receive guidance for a smoking cessation plan that fits their unique smoking habits. Cessation materials can also be provided through U.S. mail upon request.

Although the new TRICARE Smoking Quitline is geared toward smoking cessation only, any TRICARE beneficiaries who want to quit using tobacco, including the smokeless kind, can get support through the Department of Defense's comprehensive and award-winning Quit Tobacco website, www.ucanquit2.org.

Ucanquit2 offers interactive, Web-based tobacco cessation training along with live, real-time encouragement from trained tobacco cessation coaches via the 24/7 "chat" feature. Users also have the opportunity to exchange information through the website's blog and electronic bulletin board and link to the website's Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube pages. 

Many military treatment facilities offer smoking cessation programs and beneficiaries should check locally for more information on those programs. A military treatment facility locator is at www.tricare.mil/mtf.

Medicare eligible beneficiaries are reminded they may be eligible for smoking cessation benefits through Medicare Part B.  Check for more information at www.medicare.gov.

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17 Jun 2010

Living Proof breast cancer survivor art

By Pamela Crouch

Living Proof, an art exhibit featuring works created by breast cancer survivors, is seeking submissions for the event which will open September 24, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. at the Final Friday at Bucktown Center for the Arts, Davenport, Iowa and run through November 26, 2010.

Any breast cancer survivor who paints, makes jewelry, sews, sings, writes or creates is welcome to submit their work. Send inquiries to livingproofexhibit@gmail.com. or visit the website http://livingproofexhibit.squarespace.com/

15 Jun 2010

Free Screening of Medical Marijuana Documentary to be Held in Muscatine June 19

By Mike Meno

Panel Discussion about Medical Marijuana to Follow Screening of Award-winning 'Waiting to Inhale`

MUSCATINE, IOWA – A free screening of the award-winning medical marijuana documentary "Waiting to Inhale" will be held at the Musser Public Library, 304 Iowa Ave., on June 19, at 2:00 p.m.

The screening will be immediately followed by a speech by medical marijuana advocate and MPP grantee Jimmy Morrison and a panel discussion with patients Lisa Jackson, who suffers from fibromyalgia, and Jacob Orr, who has chronic pain due to a car accident. House Assistant Minority Leader Jeff Kaufmann (R-Wilson) is expected to attend as well.

WHAT: "Waiting to Inhale" screening, followed by a panel discussion

WHEN: Saturday, June 19, at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Musser Public Library, 304 Iowa Ave., Muscatine, IA

Produced and directed by Jed Riffe, "Waiting to Inhale" examines the medical marijuana debate up close by taking viewers inside the lives of patients, doctors, and activists, while seeking to understand why opponents support the continued criminalization of sick and dying patients who could benefit from medical marijuana.

"Waiting to Inhale" was the winner of the 2005 CINE Golden Eagle Award, the Gold Special Jury Remi Award at the 38th Annual WorldFest-Houston and the 2005 Best Documentary Film/Video at the New Jersey International Film Festival.

With more than 124,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. For more information, please visit www.mpp.org.

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15 Jun 2010

$246,826 to IA Drug Control Office

By Sen. Charles Grassley
WASHINGTON - June 15, 2010 - Chuck Grassley today said that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded a $246,826 grant for the Iowa Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program.

The Iowa Governors Office of Drug Control Policy will use the funds to develop and implement substance abuse treatment programs in state and local correctional and detention facilities and to create and maintain community-based aftercare services for offenders.

"Substance abuse treatment can help lower the recidivism rate of released prisoners," Grassley said.

Each year, thousands of local Iowa organizations, colleges and universities, individuals and state agencies apply for competitive grants from the federal government.  The funding is then awarded based on each local organization or individual's ability to meet criteria set by the federal entity.

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15 Jun 2010

Summer School of Higher Learning

By Laurie Johns

Now that school is out, my 13-year-old daughter is embracing her new schedule. In short, she doesn't do anything. These last few days have found her on the couch, TV blaring, i-pod headphones in place and reading an e-book on her Nook. I can't help but think that although my childhood on the farm was difficult, there were lessons learned by all those hot, summer days spent bean-walking at dawn, fence-painting at noon and manure-scooping at sunset -- lessons she'll never learn.

Although this is a short-term blip before her sports, church and academic summer camps begin, it still seems like those camps, wonderful as they are, can't possibly teach the life skills I learned growing up on a farm.

I learned how to be strong by hoisting hay bales; I learned how to be tolerant walking beans--getting up before dawn, cutting weeds out of steaming, muddy fields that stretched for miles; I learned how to be fast by chasing pigs that got out of the feedlot; I learned to be gentle but firm while holding squirming baby pigs for vaccination; I learned about the circle of life when animals we raised from birth were sold to market (regardless of my tears and months of bonding). All are skills unlearned by today's Iowans, now three or more generations removed from farming.

Not only are too many suburban-dwelling kids like my daughter removed from the character-building value of the sweaty, dirty, heavy-lifting jobs which are a part of farm life, they're uneducated on modern food production. How can we be surprised when they are seduced or recruited by animal activists who claim food today comes from cruel practices or polluters? Many kids have never been on a farm to gain the experience to discern the truth themselves.

But, I propose we find a way to get these suburban "couch dwellers" to a type of Farm Camp, where they can spend a week or two pulling weeds, painting fences, chasing pigs, scooping manure. They just may learn that it takes more than a trip to the grocery store to put food on the table. And, who knows how that knowledge can be applied to benefit parents everywhere; I have a feeling that if nothing else, these suburban kids will come away from livestock chores thinking they have no reason to complain when Mom tells them to pick up after their dog in the back yard, you know?

Laurie Johns is Public Relations Manager for the Iowa Farm Bureau. 6/15/2010

15 Jun 2010

Grassley's response to the TV ad by Americans United for Change

By Jill Kozeny

In a TV ad being aired today, Americans United for Change attacks Senator Grassley for his support for a resolution offered last week by Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.  The ad is the same as one that's been run by the group in other states, with the name of the senator being attacked changed.

The ad is false and misleading about the Murkowski resolution.  Here are important facts.

The Murkowski resolution (the language is below) simply would have overturned the EPA's endangerment finding.  The endangerment finding allows and requires EPA to promulgate regulations to limit greenhouse gases like traditional pollutants.  It doesn't affect anything other than greenhouse gases.

The issue ad shows pictures of the oil spill and, in Iowa, says that Grassley voted to let oil polluters off the hook.  That implies that the vote the ad is talking about had to do with oil pollution but, in reality, the vote had to do with EPA regulations of CO2.

In its Monday press release promoting the ad, the group calls on Senator Grassley to support the American Power Act, which is the Kerry-Lieberman bill that was written with BP at the table and which BP is strongly supporting.

BP is a major producer of natural gas, demand for which is expected to increase greatly with any CO2 limits because power plants will be forced to switch from coal to natural gas.  Under the American Power Act, BP will make a killing and Iowa families will pay more for their electrical bills, as well as for food and other goods.

Here is a comment from Senator Grassley:

"Under the controversial regulations that EPA is proposing and the proposed legislation, Iowa's economy takes an even bigger hit than the East and West coasts.  I voted for the 1990 Clean Air Act, and what EPA is trying to do today exceeds its authority under that law.  I'm fighting to give Iowa and the rest of middle America a say in environmental protection.  It's a matter of fair treatment and representative government.  These decisions should be made by Congress, where officials can be held accountable by the people, rather than by an unelected bureaucracy, in this case the same agency that tried to penalize farmers for the fugitive dust that kicks up from the tractor on windy days.  "

Here is the complete, exact language of the Murkowski resolution, which had bipartisan support, including from Senators Rockefeller, Bayh, Pryor, Lincoln, Landrieu, and Ben Nelson, but was defeated by the Senate last Thursday:

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Environmental  Protection Agency relating to the endangerment finding and the cause or contribute findings for greenhouse gases under section 202(a) of the Clean Air  Act (published at 74 Fed. Reg. 66496 (December 15, 2009)), and such rule shall have no force or effect."

15 Jun 2010

Giving Constructive Feedback Without Making People Angry

By Leadership IQ
Do you avoid telling employees what you really think because you know they'll get angry or drag their feet?  When you give constructive feedback, do people get defensive or start blaming and making excuses?

A special 60-minute teleconference/webinar called Giving Constructive Feedback Without Making People Angry teaches you how to have open and truthful feedback conversations, even about the toughest topics, without making people defensive or angry. The results are improved performance, better relationships, smarter decisions and greater accountability.  
On Giving Constructive Feedback Without Making People Angry you'll learn...
  • 6-step script for delivering constructive criticism that helps the recipient improve and without making them defensive or angry (called the I.D.E.A.L.S. script)
  • 1-sentence that opens any difficult conversation and deescalates tough criticism
  • Avoid the "trigger words" that instantly make people defensive
  • Quiz for testing whether you're making people defensive with blaming and loaded language
  • The "Compliment Sandwich": What it is and why you should NEVER use it
  • Delayer your conversations (Facts, Interpretations, Reactions, Ends) and learn which pieces you should and shouldn't share
  • How to avoid "pleading" and "attacking" in when you're giving someone constructive feedback
  • 7-part model for assessing your relationship so you know how this person will take your feedback
  • Tackle "taboo topics" and "sacred cows" without bruising egos or starting turf wars
  • Discover the 5 Stages of Accountability (Denial, Blame, Excuses, Anxiety and Accountability) and how to respond to each one

On a special 60-minute teleconference & webinar called Giving Constructive Feedback Without Making People Angry you can invite as many colleagues as you'd like and the first 100 registrants get a special $50 discount.
You can get more information:
15 Jun 2010

IBHS Provides Tips During National Homeownership Month

By Joseph King

Tampa, Fla. (June 15, 2010) - June is National Homeownership Month and the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers advice on how to keep the American dream of homeownership from becoming a nightmare.

Nearly seven out of 10 people own a home in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's "Homeownership Rates for the United States: 1968 to 2010." When considering the purchase of a home, buyers typically research key area demographics such as the quality of schools, property tax rates, and crime rate. However, another critical aspect of homeownership - and the benefits or strains on that ownership experience - is the potential for natural disaster(s) native to the area.

"Buying a home is typically the largest single investment people ever make," said Julie Rochman, IBHS president and CEO. "While researching a neighborhood or town, it is absolutely critical for prospective homeowners to learn what natural disasters, such as wildfire, windstorms, hail, or flooding, may impact the area."

To help home buyers and homeowners identify and learn more about several types of natural disasters where they live or may want to live, the IBHS offers a ZIP Code-based tool at www.DisasterSafety.org . The tool provides a list of the natural disaster(s) that may occur in that particular area.

People who already own homes can use the information on DisasterSafety.org to guide them in retrofitting their houses so that they are more resistant. Retrofits range from simple tasks (e.g., covering exterior hose bibs in the winter to prevent frozen/burst pipes) to more complex tasks (e.g., installing impact-resistant windows). DisasterSafety.org offers guidelines on ways to increase a home's resiliency against earthquake, flood, wildfire, hurricane, high winds, tornadoes, severe winter weather and hail.

"No matter the type of natural threat, there are a number of ways - from simple and inexpensive to more complex and costly - that homeowners can make their homes stronger and safer," Rochman said. "People need to know that they can do things to protect their home and family against damaging and potentially deadly effects of a natural disaster. This is important information for people in every corner of the nation, and Homeownership Month is a perfect time to focus on this issue."

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