In an era when field trips are becoming increasingly rare, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra's Symphony Day can still pull a crowd. On May 13, the Quad City Youth Symphony Orchestra will entertain and educate 6,000 area fourth and fifth grade students with its 27th annual Symphony Day. This year's concert will feature "Music of the Stars" including Holst's The Planets and the Imperial March from Star Wars. Joining the Youth Orchestra at the Adler will be Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers, courtesy of the 501st Legion. These narrated concerts at the Adler Theatre highlight the orchestra through short and varied works, while showing the students the inner workings of the orchestra on a giant overhead video projection. For many youths, this is the first time they have had the opportunity to attend a live symphony concert in a concert hall.

Press is welcome to attend any of the three scheduled performances: 9:15 AM, 11:00 AM and 1 PM. Buses begin arriving a half-hour before each performance, with children streaming through the lobby until the time of the performance. Symphony Day draws from 32 different school districts, 195 public, private and home-study classrooms, all coming from within a 45-mile radius of the Quad Cities.

Symphony Day is sponsored by the Rauch Foundation, Alcoa, Adler Theatre Producers, and Volunteers for Symphony.

DAVENPORT, IOWA (April 12, 2010)  In partnership with the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, the German American Heritage Center will be showing the film "Saviors in the Night" at the German American Heritage Center at 712 West Second Street in Davenport, Iowa on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 2 p.m. The film will be shown on the 4th floor program space and refreshments will be served. Cost is $5 per adult, free for museum members and free for students. For those who would like to explore the museum prior to the movie, please arrive early before the movie as the exhibits close at 4 p.m.

Ludi Boeken's "Under Bauern" (Saviors in the Night) tells of farmers ? unter bauern ? in Westphalia who sheltered Jewish friends from the Nazis. The movie is based on Marga Speigel's memoir "Saviour in the Night" who tells the story of how a little family survived in their hiding place because of the help of farmer families Aschoff, Pentrop, Sickmann and Silkenbömer from the Münsterland. The film will be subtitled. You can watch the movie trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WLAvZC91po

Use Free Tax Preparation Help; Avoid Refund Anticipation Loans

 

CHICAGO - April 10, 2010. Governor Quinn today hailed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for providing tax relief to thousands of hard-working families and urged all eligible Illinois taxpayers to use the credit when filing their 2009 returns this year.

The Governor also encouraged those who need help filing their returns to utilize the free tax preparation assistance offered by community groups and he warned taxpayers to avoid using costly tax refund anticipation loans that are offered by some commercial tax preparation companies.

"The Earned Income Tax Credit is the best pro-job, pro-family and anti-poverty tax relief ever devised, and every eligible family in Illinois should receive the full credit," said Governor Quinn. "With the income tax deadline just five days away, it is important that Illinois' working families take advantage of free tax preparation assistance to help get their full refunds quickly and painlessly."

State partnerships with the Center for Economic Progress' Tax Counseling Project and Ladder Up (formerly the Tax Assistance Program) will offer free tax preparation assistance and e-filing for families across Illinois. Services are free for families who earned under $50,000 and individuals who made less than $25,000.

Through the partnerships, volunteer tax counselors will provide free tax assistance and counseling more than 30 sites throughout the state. Most sites will provide services from January 23 through April 15. Governor Quinn made today's announcement at Truman College in Chicago, which will serve as a Center for Economic Progress site. (A full list of locations is attached.)

Taxpayers can walk in to any of the locations, without an appointment, and work with trained volunteers who will help fill out their returns and make sure they file for all the credits, deductions and other benefits to which they're entitled.

Families raising three or more children in their home can get up to $5657 from the federal EITC with earnings of less than $48,279 (married, filing jointly). Illinois residents who claim the federal EITC may also receive the state EITC, which can save them up to $283.

Governor Quinn also encouraged residents to avoid the high cost of refund anticipation loans (RALs) offered by commercial tax preparation companies. According to a 2009 study by the Consumer Federation of America and the National Consumer Law Center, the price of a RAL for a typical loan of $3,000 can range from $62 to $110.

Most Illinois taxpayers can file state taxes for free at www.tax.illinois.gov and receive a refund in about a week. Additionally, many can file their federal taxes online for free as well. Information about filing federal taxes online can be found at www.irs.gov.

###

In honor of Crossing Guard Appreciation Day May 4, 2010, Chicago Department of Transportation and the Active Transportation Alliance are asking neighbors to share stories about their local crossing guards. Chicago and suburban residents can share how much they value their crossing guard at www.activetrans.org/crossingguard

The survey will be open until through May 4, 2010, the day Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn declared as Crossing Guard Appreciation Day "in recognition of the services that these dedicated professionals provide to keep our citizens and their children safe."

"Crossing guards provide an invaluable service to our communities," said Rob Sadowsky, executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance. "They are out there every day making the streets safer by helping children get to school and guiding residents as they walk to the bus."

There are plenty of ways you can show your crossing guard appreciation May 4. Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians all owe a bit of thanks to our unsung heroes.

• Download and present them with this certificate of appreciation
• Write a thank you note
• Draw a picture of you and your crossing guard
• Respect the crossing guard's authority
• Bring them flowers from your garden
• Pay attention when driving through the intersection
• Introduce yourself
• Smile! Wave! Wish them a Happy Crossing Guard Appreciation Day

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. Formerly the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, the Active Transportation Alliance is North America's largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by more than 6,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 35 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

###