Congressman: Forcing Iowa's seniors to apply solely on online for services isn't fair

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today joined a Congressional push to prevent the elimination of services at Social Security Administration (SSA) offices around the country?including offices in Iowa.

Beginning August 2014, SSA will no longer issue Social Security number printouts in its field offices.  In addition, beginning October 2014, SSA  field offices will stop providing benefit verification letters, except in emergency situations.  Many seniors rely on these verification letters for a variety of services. Those requesting this information would be able to do so only online or over the phone. Last year alone, 11 million Americans used SSA offices to request this information.

"Iowa has one of the highest senior populations in the country and forcing seniors?many of whom don't have internet access?away from their trusted SSA offices and toward an online only environment isn't the right thing to do," Braley said.

In a letter to the head of the SSA, Braley urged the agency to continue allowing seniors to request this vital information in person, noting that telephone wait times for SSA services have risen drastically in the last year, and that many seniors lack internet access.

"It is critical that the Social Security Administration reverse its decision to discontinue in-person access to benefit verification statements," the letter to SSA Administrator Carolyn Colvin reads.

Braley has consistently supported maintaining benefits to Social Security recipients, recently urging the Obama Administration to oppose proposed cuts to the program.

A copy of the letter is available online HERE.

Watch any of the popular wedding reality shows - Say Yes to the Dress, My Big Fat American Gyspy Wedding, Four Weddings - and the common denominator is money.

"The focus has always been on saving, borrowing or budgeting so that the bride can have her 'perfect' wedding," says Eric Gulbrandson, a wedding photographer and author of the new book, "Dream Wedding Secrets: The All Important G.S.F," (www.dreamweddingsecrets.com),

"But weddings now cost more than ever for the guests - the average cost jumped 75 percent over the past two years!"

Wedding guests now spend an average $592 per wedding on clothing, gifts, transportation, hotels, etc., up from $339 in 2012, according to a just-published American Express survey.

"If you want people to actually attend, you have to make sure it's the perfect wedding for them, too," says Gulbrandson, whose book is a compilation of tips for doing just that based on interviews with hundreds of wedding guests.

Gulbrandson shares four must-haves for achieving a high G.S.F - Guest Satisfaction Factor:

•  Have plenty of food and drink.

If you have to choose between paying for more food versus paying for better food, go for quantity. Nobody will mind if the food's not stellar, but they will if you run out!

Taste and presentation are important, but having enough food and drink and having it available throughout the event is more important, Gulbrandson says.

"I had one woman who said that, toward the end of one reception, the caterers brought out a nacho bar.  She said, 'It was cheap ... and perfect!' " he says.

•  Have details that show appreciation.

"One woman I interviewed talked about being greeted by trays of hors d'oeuvres and champagne as soon as they arrived for the wedding, and how it made the guests feel appreciated," Gulbrandson says.

"Another went to a wedding in a foreign country. The bride and groom had a welcome bag  filled with helpful items, like a survival translation dictionary, insect repellant and maps of the local area in the hotel rooms for their guests as they arrived."

When people take the time and expense to attend your wedding, details that show how much you appreciate that go over very well, Gulbrandson says.

•  Have on hand whatever's necessary to make people comfortable while they wait.

One couple Gulbrandson interviewed talked about arriving at the reception venue following the wedding and waiting for more than two hours for the bride and groom. Not only was there no food or drink available while they waited, there was no entertainment or information about when the wedding party would arrive.

"When they finally did arrive, it was clear they'd all been out drinking and joyriding in their limo," Gulbrandson says. "Many of their guests had left!"

Some delays are unavoidable: Photos taken after the wedding, for instance, can delay the reception.

"Make sure food and drink is available for those waiting, and entertainment," Gulbrandson says. "It could be an acoustic musician or a disc jockey, and slide shows of the bride and groom growing up."

•  Have entertainment that almost everyone can enjoy.

Usually, the choice is between a live band or a DJ. Since DJs can usually provide more musical variety than a band, they stand a better chance of giving all of your guests a good time.

"A DJ can play music that appeals to different generations and different styles of music," Gulbrandson says. "One compromise, if you'd really like a band, is to have live music for an hour or two, then switch to the DJ - although that's not the most economical choice!"

Gulbrandson also recommends taking the time to choose your own music rather than giving the DJ carte blanche. Be sure to choose songs from a variety of genres and styles. If there are some wedding standards you dislike, create a "do not play" list for the DJ.

About Eric Gulbrandson

Eric Gulbrandson is a longtime wedding photographer who began compiling interviews for "Dream Wedding Secrets: The All-Important G.S.F," (www.dreamweddingsecrets.com), in 2009. As a wedding photographer, he heard many happy guests - and many unhappy ones - and realized that most publications offering wedding advice focused on making the bride and wedding more beautiful, or saving money. He interviewed hundreds of guests and includes more than 200 of their quotes about essential Guest Satisfaction Factors.

New Environmental Protections Signed on Anniversary of Hoopeston Fire

CHICAGO - On the anniversary of a devastating fire in Hoopeston, Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation to strengthen oversight of used tire processing and storage facilities. Today's action is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to protect our natural resources and ensure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.

"The destructive fire that shook Hoopeston last year proved the need for increased oversight of our used tire facilities," Governor Quinn said. "This new law will help safeguard against any disaster of this magnitude and ensure our communities are protected. It will protect the environment and homeowners, and help find alternative uses for used and waste tires."

On June 19, 2013, a large accumulation of tires at J&R Used Tire Service in Hoopeston ignited and burned for more than a month. Nearby residents were evacuated, a railway and local roads were blocked off and emergency responders occupied the site to prevent the fire from spreading. The resulting damage to the facility required demolition of all structures on-site. The response action, clean-up of debris and demolition took until November 2013 to complete. SB 2671 was proposed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) in response to the Hoopeston fire.

"This bill helps us ensure these facilities are meeting requirements to protect Illinois residents," IEPA Director Lisa Bonnett said. "The IEPA will also be able to initiate a market development program for used tires, resulting in increased economic activity and job creation."

Senate Bill 2671, sponsored by State Senator Michael Frerichs (D-Champaign) and State Representative Will Davis (D-Hazel Crest), requires used tire storage sites with more than 10,000 passenger tires, or that process 500 tons of used tires in a calendar year, to acquire a solid waste permit to operate in Illinois. As part of the permitting process, these facilities will be required to comply with regulations by maintaining records, allowing inspections and submitting documentation, including a tire storage plan and a contingency plan, to the IEPA. Any tire facility that does not comply with financial assurance requirements could be ordered to immediately cease operations to prevent any threat to the public health and the environment. The new law also authorizes the IEPA to establish a program to develop new markets for used and waste tires. The legislation is effective immediately.

"We were able to quickly respond to last year's tire fire in Hoopeston and institute new guidelines to prevent other communities from experiencing similar accidents," Senator Frerichs said. "This new law will help save state funds that would otherwise have to be spent on environmental clean-up."

"Illinois residents want to make sure our neighborhoods are protected from harmful waste and pollution," Representative Davis said. "If we want to maintain our neighborhoods for generations to come, we have to improve sustainability efforts, hold corporations accountable for their impact on the environment and hold them to strict environmental standards."

Each year, the IEPA co-sponsors approximately 20 county-wide tire collections where local governments can give used tires the state to remove. The agency also forces the removal of waste tires from dumps that pose an immediate threat to human health and the environment. Already in 2014, IEPA has removed more than 875 tons of waste tires, equivalent to more than 70,000 passenger tires.

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today issued the following statement on the passing of Lisa Marie Radogno, daughter of Illinois State Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno:

"There are no words in the English language to comfort a parent who loses a child.

"My deepest and most heartfelt condolences go out to Leader Christine Radogno and her family during this extremely difficult time.

"It is my hope that Lisa's purposeful life and the cherished memories that Christine, Nunzio and their daughters have of her will help relieve some of the pain in the days ahead."