Arnold's Body Shop in Davenport received recognition last week for leading Iowa's collision repair industry in switching to environmentally friendly water-based paint. On July 29, 2009, Governor Chet Culver honored the company at the State Capitol with the 2008 Governor's Iowa Environmental Excellence Award with the Special Recognition in Air Quality. Arnold's was the first collision repair shop in Iowa to convert its processes away from petroleum-based base coatings, reducing its output of volatile organic compounds (VOC) by 54 percent and hazardous air pollutants (HAP) by 91 percent.

"Ever since our family started this business in 1969, we have continually used the most sophisticated products and systems available to meet or exceed environmental standards," said John Arnold, CEO of Arnold's Body Shop. "Now, with water-based base coatings and improved exhaust systems that exceed EPA standards for 2011, we can repair vehicles so they're like new and safe for families as well as the planet."

Arnold said that the effort to go green involved dramatic changes for the four-person paint team. The team consists of Refinish Manager, Jeremy Gripp, who accepted the Governor's award in July, as well as paint team members Joe Schoenthaler, Aaron Houzenga and apprentice Mitch Matje.

"With an attitude of success, they implemented the new product, trained for it, learned it and made it part of a very efficient, earth-friendly process," said Arnold.

According to Arnold, the water-based paint formulas only recently became suited for midwestern climates, and Arnold's Body Shop is among the first in the region to convert. In addition to spending many hours of labor on the conversion, the company invested approximately $60,000 in new paint formulas and air-handling systems. This enabled huge reductions in VOCs and HAPs, substances that contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone pollution. New fans also reduce energy consumption by curtailing the need to dry vehicle finishes with intense heat.

"Despite the dramatic changes to our process, the customer won't be able to tell the difference," said Arnold. "That's why we're eager to educate anyone with an interest in this advance in refinishing vehicles."

As education chair of the Iowa Collision Repair Association (ICRA), Arnold is volunteering to educate body shops statewide about making the water-based conversion through a series of seminars this fall. The ICRA, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Waste Reduction Center are sponsoring the seminars.

Arnold's Body Shop has served Davenport, Iowa, and the greater Quad Cities community with comprehensive collision repair since 1969. It became Iowa's first body shop to adopt environmentally friendly water-borne refinishing system in 2008. It is a member of the Automotive Service Association and the Better Business Bureau. See www.arnoldsbodyshop.com for details.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) will be traveling across the state this month on the Building Iowa's Future tour. This future of Iowa includes one where all Iowans will have access to affordable, quality health care and preventive care that can reduce chronic disease and rein in high health care costs; a future where Iowa leads the green economy and where our heroes get the benefits they deserve.

Senator Harkin will post daily entries chronicling his trip on his Senate website at http://harkin.senate.gov/.

Details of events from August 8th through August 14th are below.

Saturday, August 8th - Des Moines

2:00pm: Harkin will visit Des Moines Primary Health Care, Inc., 1200 University Ave, Des Moines.

Harkin will visit Des Moines Primary Health Care to discuss progress being made on health reform in Washington and the important role Community Health Centers play in our state.

Sunday, August 9th - Ottumwa

Noon: Harkin will attend the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Job Corps Center with Labor Secretary Solis at the Industrial Airport Complex, Ottumwa.

Senator Tom Harkin will join U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Job Corps Center in Ottumwa. Harkin worked to secure $25 million in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the Recovery Act, for the completion of the Ottumwa Center.

Monday, August 10th - Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City

9:15am: Harkin will visit Peoples Community Health Center, 905 Franklin St, Waterloo.

Harkin will visit Peoples Community Health Center to discuss progress being made on health reform in Washington and the important role Community Health Centers play in our state.

11:30am: Harkin will attend the Grand Opening of Linn Community Care Center, 1201 3rd Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids.

Harkin will attend the grand opening of the Linn Community Care Center. Harkin has been an ardent supporter of Iowa's 13 federally-funded Community Health Centers, obtaining funds for the facilities' construction, equipment purchases, and dental expansions through his work on the Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee.

2:00pm: Harkin will Present Military Medals to Veterans, American Legion Post #17, 3016 Muscatine Ave, Iowa City.

Harkin, who is a Navy veteran, has been a leader in the Senate in calling on the Department of Defense to improve the process for issuing military medals. These medals are being presented to the families of Kenneth Hein, Harlan Henely, Richard Donegan and Clarence Davis. In 1999 Harkin added an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill that directed the Secretary of Defense to eliminate the backlog in decoration requests. Since then, delays in receiving medals have been greatly reduced.

Monday, August 11th - Bettendorf, Davenport

9:00am: Harkin will visit Eastern Iowa Community College's Nursing Program, 500 Belmont Rd, Bettendorf.

Harkin will visit Eastern Iowa Community College's Nursing Program to discuss how the Senate health reform bill will increase the medical workforce with incentives for more doctors and nurses.

2:00pm: Harkin will Present Military Medals to Veterans at the Center for Active Seniors Inc.(CASI), 1035 W. Kimberly Rd, Davenport

Harkin, who is a Navy veteran, has been a leader in the Senate in calling on the Department of Defense to improve the process for issuing military medals. These medals are being presented to John Bohy, as well as the families of Wayne Simmons and Richard Williamson. In 1999 Harkin added an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill which directed the Secretary of Defense to eliminate the backlog in decoration requests. Since then, delays in receiving medals have been greatly reduced.

Wednesday, August 12th - Storm Lake, Ft. Dodge, Story City

10:30am: Harkin will Attend Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for United Community Health Center, 630 Ontario St., Storm Lake.

Harkin will visit United Community Health Center to discuss progress being made on health reform in Washington and the important role Community Health Centers play in our state.

1:30pm: Harkin will visit Ft. Dodge Community Health Center, 126 N. 10th St., Ft. Dodge.

Harkin will visit Ft. Dodge Community Health Center to discuss progress being made on health reform in Washington and the important role Community Health Centers play in our state.

3:30pm: Main Street Tour, 602 Broad St., Story City

Harkin has secured a total of $55,000 in federal funds to revitalize the Story City Herald Building and the Charlson Buildings. Built in 1898, the Charlson Building, initially known as the Swan Building, has stood as a cornerstone at the center of Story City's downtown district for over 100 years. The funds will be used to renovate the commercial and residential spaces, and put an end to the ongoing deterioration of the building, with a new roof, tuck pointing and the addition of a basement floor. To date, Harkin has secured nearly $4 million for the Main Street Iowa program, which preserves the character and vitality of Iowa's small towns by providing communities with the grants to help revitalize their main streets.

4:00pm: Renewable Energy from the Heartland Event, NextEra Energy Resources, I-35 Business Park (exit 124 off I-35), Story City

Harkin will tour this facility and visit with company and local elected officials about their collaborative work on this project. Harkin will use the opportunity to see the major components of a gear box that generates the power produced in the wind turbines around the state. NextEra Energy Resources, the largest wind and solar energy producer in North America, broke ground on the Generation Repair and Service (GRS) facility in April.

Iowa has been a national leader in renewable energy and green collar jobs. The state currently ranks second in wind energy generation with nearly 3,043 megawatts from 2,136 turbines across the state. Iowa also leads the nation in wind generation as percentage of its total power output at 15 percent.

Thursday, August 13th - Des Moines, Mason City

9:00am: Harkin will attend the Iowa State Fair, State Fairgrounds, Des Moines

Harkin will participate in a number of events at the Iowa State Fair, including serving as a guest chef at the Iowa Pork Producers tent on Grand Avenue at 11 A.M.

5:45pm: Main Street Tour, 7 North Federal Ave., Mason City

Harkin will take a walking tour of Mason City and visit the Parker Opera House, Park Inn Hotel and the Lundberg Building. Harkin has been able to secure a total of $110,000 in federal funds to revitalize the Parker Opera House Building and convert the old Lundberg Building into four residential apartments. Each unit of the Lundberg Building will be equipped with energy efficient equipment, using "green" practices wherever possible for long-term sustainability. To date, Harkin has secured nearly $4 million for the Main Street Iowa program, which preserves the character and vitality of Iowa's small towns by providing communities with the grants to help revitalize their main streets.

In addition to the two Main Street stops, Harkin will visit the Park Inn Hotel and City National Bank site. Harkin secured $393,760 for the rehabilitation of the building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is next to the Park Inn Hotel, the only remaining hotel in America designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Friday, August 14th - Mason City

9:00am: Harkin will visit North Iowa Area Community College, 500 College Dr., 104 H McAllister Hall, Mason City.

Harkin will visit North Iowa Area Community College's Nursing Program to discuss how the Senate health reform bill will increase the medical workforce with incentives for more doctors and nurses.

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DAVENPORT, IOWA (August 4, 2009) The German American Heritage Center announces upcoming German classes and festivities for August and September.

Sing-A-Long
A free Summer-Sing-A-Long featuring Stan Muller, an Iowa Accordionist Hall of Fame recipient and traditional German Songs this Sunday, August 9 at the German American Heritage Center. Visitors will learn and sing traditional German songs led by conductor by Henry Storjohann. Stan Muller, an Iowa Accordionist Hall of Fame recipient, will also play along with his accordion. Song sheets will be provided. Visit www.gahc.org or call (563) 322-8844 for more information.

INTERACTIVE: Listen to audio clip samples of some of the songs:
Du, du liegst mir im Herzen ("You, you are in my heart"): http://www.stceliascorner.com/herzen.mid
Ach, du lieber Augustin ("O, my dear friend Augustin"): http://www.stceliascorner.com/augustin.mid

German language classes for beginners
Registration is now being accepted for the fall Beginning German Language Class.  The classes are held every Tuesday from September 1 through November 17, 2009 at 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the German American Heritage Center. The class is $75 for member and $90 for nonmembers. A manual must be also purchased for $20.

Advanced Genealogy Classes
Registration is now being accepted for the fall Advanced Genealogy Classes.  The class teaches participants about research tools and resources available to for researching their family histories. The class is designed for all heritage backgrounds, and are held every Wednesday from August 26 through October 7 - 6:30 p.m at the German American Heritage Center. The class is $50 for members and $60 for nonmembers.

German American Heritage Center's plans for the future
In October 2009, GAHC will have a re-grand opening where they will debut their newly expanded space to the community. The space will include a new large permanent exhibit, two traveling exhibit spaces, large program facilities, and an improved parking lot. The GAHC will create new programs based on the new permanent exhibit and two new temporary exhibit spaces. This exhibit is highly interactive, audiovisual and intergenerational.

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Des Moines, IA., August 3, 2009 - Today, the Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid) announced the launch of a statewide community web portal that will help students transition through middle school, high school, college and beyond, as well as provide tools for adults seeking education and employment opportunities.

The statewide community portal, www.IHaveaPlanIowa.gov, encompasses career planning features previously offered by Iowa College Aid, along with expanded career and college planning tools and resources; national, state and local scholarships; free access to ACT, SAT and GRE test preparation tools; as well as Iowa employment opportunities.

"The primary objective of the statewide community portal is to provide a streamlined solution for Iowans in every stage of their lives," stated Karen Misjak, Executive Director of the Iowa College Student Aid Commission. "We know that many Iowa families have recently been impacted by layoffs and job loss. Everyone from college-bound students and parents to dislocated workers seeking new skills, employment or education opportunities now have free access to services that will help them plan for their futures."

Free test preparation for the ACT, SAT, and GRE standardized college admissions tests is just one of the new tools available to Iowans at www.IHaveaPlanIowa.gov. "We believe all Iowans should have the same opportunities to prepare for college entrance exams," said Misjak. "Iowa families can potentially save over $1.5 million if every Iowa high school junior and senior takes advantage of the free test preparation at www.IHaveaPlanIowa.gov. It is important that all Iowans have a plan to accomplish their college and employment goals. The State of Iowa is committed to providing tools and resources needed to make that a reality."

Future enhancements to the statewide community portal include :
• One common online application for all state-administered financial aid programs.
• Access to the Iowa Department of Education e-transcript process for Iowa students.
• Convenient online college admission applications to Iowa colleges and universities.
• Ability to connect users to current business and industry openings in Iowa.
• Expanded access to services offered by other state agencies.

Middle school students will be able explore their interests and develop a six-year education course plan. High school and college students, as well as adults looking to return to college, will be able to research colleges, prepare for standardized tests, search for scholarships, apply for state aid programs, access their high school transcripts electronically, and ultimately apply for college admission.  Iowans looking for a career change, or in need of additional skills to reenter the workforce, will be able to match their interests and abilities to career options and search for employment opportunities in Iowa. "The possibilities for future additions and enhancements are virtually endless," explained Misjak.
Iowa College Aid has partnered with the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa Workforce Development, along with other state partners to determine if additional state services can be incorporated into the statewide community web portal in the future.  Stop by Iowa College Aid's booth in the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fair from August 13 - 23, 2009, visit www.IowaCollegeAid.gov , or call the Iowa College Aid Information Service Center at 1-877-272-4456 for more information about the statewide community portal, as well as other products and services offered by Iowa College Aid.

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About the Iowa College Student Aid Commission
As the state's designated guaranty agency for the Family Federal Education Loan Program (FFELP), Iowa College Aid guarantees more than $696 million annually in student loans from private lenders to support over 77,000 Iowa students and parents..  In addition, Iowa College Aid administers state scholarship, grant, and loan forgiveness programs totaling over $69.5 million, provides borrowers with assistance to avoid the serious consequences of default, conducts research and distributes higher education data, and offers Iowans assistance in obtaining student financial aid and college-related information. More information is available at www.IowaCollegeAid.gov.