Due to the Independence Day holiday, all Rock Island Public Libraries will close at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, July 3, and remain closed for the July 4th holiday. Libraries will reopen at the regular time on Friday, July 5.

Despite the shortened week, the library is still offering plenty of summer reading events as part of its "Have Book, Will Travel" and "Beneath the Surface" programs for children, adults and teens.  Events next week include :

·         Scrapbooking Mondays for kids, 3:00 pm, on Monday, July 1 in the Rock Island Main Library Children's Room, 401 19th Street. All materials will be supplied.

·         Storytimes for ages birth to five at the Rock Island 30/31 Branch Library at 10:30 am on Tuesday, July 2, and at the Rock Island Southwest Branch Library on Wednesday, July 3.

·         Global Math Club for kids, 3:30 to 4:30 pm, Tuesday, July 2, at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street.

·         Cake Archeology cake decorating program for teens ages 12 to 18, noon to 1:00 pm, Tuesday, July 2, at Rock Island Southwest Branch Library, 9010 Ridgewood Road.

·         Using your Apple iPad program for adults and seniors, 6:30 pm, Tuesday, July 2, Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street.  For Apple devices only; participants should bring their device with them to the class.

Due to the holiday, there will be no Friends of the Library half-price book sale and no Independent movie in July. The Wednesday Lego block club and Friday Storytime programs previously announced at the Main Library have also been cancelled for this week only.

For details on other summer events for all ages, see www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow Facebook/rockislandlibrary, visit any Rock Island Library or call 309-732-7323 (READ).

2013 Summer reading contests and programs are funded by Friends of the Rock Island Public Library, the Milan-Blackhawk Area Public Library District (Southwest Branch location), and the Rock Island Public Library Foundation.

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Winner Also Will Meet Series Host Mario Lopez

DES MOINES, IA - June 19, 2013 - Mediacom will send one of its Facebook friends to Los Angeles next month to attend a taping of the auditions for the hit singing competition series THE X FACTOR. The winner also will meet THE X FACTOR host Mario Lopez. The unique sweepstakes, sponsored in partnership with Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX), gives THE X FACTOR fans a chance to be part of the search to find the next great solo artist or vocal group.

Mediacom's THE X FACTOR sweepstakes is open to anyone who visits the company's Facebook page and submits an entry form from June 17-28. Contestants must "like" the Facebook page and also click on the contest entry link. The winner will receive airfare for two, a three-night hotel stay, car rental, two tickets to the July 12 taping of THE X FACTOR auditions, $250 in spending money and other perks, including a meet-and-greet with the show's charismatic host, Mario Lopez. Contest information can be found at www.facebook.com/mediacomcable.

THE X FACTOR returns Wednesdays and Thursdays this fall on FOX. It was recently announced that Grammy Award-winning artist Kelly Rowland and global pop sensation Paulina Rubio will join Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato as judges on the series.

THE X FACTOR was created by Syco Entertainment and is produced by Syco Entertainment and FremantleMedia North America. Rob Wade and Nigel Hall are executive producers for Syco Television. Trish Kinane, Richard Holloway and Andrew Llinares serve as executive producers for FremantleMedia North America. "Like" THE X FACTOR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TheXFactorUSA. Follow the series on Twitter @TheXFactorUSA and join the discussion at #xfactor. Download The Xtra Factor App at www.TheXFactorUSA.com/mobileapps.

About Mediacom:

Mediacom Communications is the nation's eighth largest cable television company and one of the leading cable operators focused on serving the smaller cities in the United States, with a significant concentration in the Midwestern and Southeastern regions. Mediacom Communications offers a wide array of broadband products and services, including traditional and advanced video services such as digital television, video-on-demand, digital video recorders, high-definition television, as well as high-speed Internet access and phone service. Through Mediacom Business, the Company offers affordable broadband communications solutions that can be tailored to any size business.

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After 300 years, get Ussher's masterpiece, 'Annals of the World'

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It has been called "the best ancient history book after the Bible."

For generations, the only way to read it was in Latin.

But, in one of the most significant publishing events of the 21st century, James Ussher's colossal history of the world, titled "Annals of the World" is now available from the WND Superstore- in English - after over 300 years of being accessible only to scholars.

"Annals of the World" Ships FREE today! Read more here!

In this masterful and legendary volume, commissioned by Master Books to be updated from the 17th-century original Latin manuscript to modern English and made available to the general public, is the fascinating history of the ancient world from the Genesis creation precisely dated through the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple.

Find out:

Why was Julius Caesar kidnapped in 75 B.C.?

Why did Alexander the Great burn his ships in 326 B.C.?

What really happened when the sun "went backward" as a sign to Hezekiah?

What does secular history say about the darkness at the Crucifixion?

In the years 1650-1654, James Ussher set out to write a history of the world from creation to A.D. 70. The result was published in 1658 as the literary classic "The Annals of the World." This famous comprehensive history of the world, originally published in Latin, offers a look at history rarely seen. Ussher traveled throughout Europe, gathering much information from the actual historical documents. Many of these documents are no longer available, having been destroyed since the time of his research.

Integrating biblical history (around 15 percent of the text is from the Bible) with secular sources, Ussher wrote this masterpiece. Considered not only a literary classic, but also an accurate reference, "The Annals of the World" was so highly regarded for its preciseness that the timeline from it was included in the margins of many King James Version Bibles throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

"The Annals of the World" is a necessary addition to any church library, pastor's library, or any library - public or personal. The entire text has been updated from 17th-century English to present-day vernacular in a five-year project commissioned by Master Books. Containing many human-interest stories from the original historical documents collected by Ussher, this is more than just a history book - it's a work of history.

"Annals of the World" Ships FREE today! Read more here!

Special features:

Includes CD of Ussher's Chronology of the World - full of colored charts, graphs, timelines, and much, much more

Important literary work that has been inaccessible in book form for over 300 years

Translated into modern English for the first time

Traces world history from creation through A.D. 70

Over 10,000 footnotes from the original text have been updated to references from works in the Loeb Classical Library by Harvard Press

Over 2,500 citations from the Bible and the Apocrypha

Ussher's original citations have been checked against the latest textual scholarship

One of history's most famous and well-respected historians

Spent over five years researching and writing this book

Entered college at age 13

Received his master's degree at age 18

Was an expert in Semitic languages

Buried in Westminster Abbey

About the book:

Made of the highest quality material: Smyth sewn, gold-gilded edges, foil embossing on front, back, and spine

Cover presented in the style of classic literary works

Packaged in a beautiful box for display purposes and durability

8 appendixes

Fully indexed

Paragraphs numbered

Chronological presentation of material

This is one of the most important literary, historical and Christian works you'll ever own, a treasure for any home library. It's a must for your homeschool library.

For generations, this classic work was considered part of the essential reading for educated people. Now you can read it - in English.

As a very special added bonus, when you purchase "The Annals of the World" from the WND Superstore, you can also receive - FREE - three issues of our acclaimed monthly Whistleblower magazine, which many have called the best news magazine in the world. That's a $22.50 free value! (Offer good in the U.S. only.) Watch for the free offer during checkout.

Order your copy of James Ussher's extraordinary "Annals of the World" in softcover or hardcover from the WND Superstore.
The perfect companion to "Annals" is this one - "Adams Chart of History."

This well-known illustrated timeline of earth history was first published in 1871. A vintage reproduction of that acclaimed timeline, this well-known illustrated timeline of earth history was first published in 1871. "Adams Chart of History" is an amazing 27 1/2 inches tall, and the foldout chart features detailed, full-color drawings of various stages of history, from Adam and Eve to the late 19th century. There is handwritten commentary throughout.

Perfect for educational settings or Sunday school walls, it includes the explanatory booklet that was originally published with the chart. The chart follows James Ussher's timeline from "The Annals of the World," the inspiration for Adams' monumental work.

It includes:

• 5,882 years of historic time represented in this map.
• 3,607 years of Bible history.
• Rulers, their years in power, date of accession, and when they were succeeded; the rise, fall, and division of nations, and much more.
• Intricate symbols, such as the 10 red crosses on the purple Roman empire, which represent the "10 persecutions" of the Christians.
• Hundreds of beautiful illustrations with explanations throughout the chart - there truly is no other chart quite like this.

Like "Annals," there is a softcover version of this book at lower price.

• The combined company will own or operate 30 network-affiliated TV stations across 27 markets reaching 14% of U.S. TV households
• Media General's dual-class stock structure will be unwound as part of the transaction
• The transaction will be immediately accretive on a free cash flow per share basis
• New Media General intends to refinance its combined debt at a substantially lower cost of capital

Richmond, VA - Media General, Inc. (NYSE: MEG) and privately held Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc., both local broadcast television and digital media companies, today announced a definitive agreement to combine the two companies in an all-stock merger transaction.  The new company will retain the Media General name and will remain headquartered in Richmond, VA.

Young Broadcasting owns KWQC-TV6 in the Quad Cities.

Media General owns 18 network-affiliated stations, and Young owns or operates 12 network-affiliated stations.  The combination will create a company with 30 stations operating in 27 markets, reaching 16.5 million, or 14%, of U.S. TV households.  On a pro forma basis, 2012 revenues were $605 million, including approximately $115 million of political revenues.

The new company will have a strong balance sheet, including significant tax carryover net operating losses that will survive the merger, and an enhanced credit profile, creating opportunities to refinance existing debt at a significantly lower cost of capital.  The merger will be accretive to free cash flow in the first full year.  The companies have identified $25-30 million of operating and financing synergies.

The balance of network affiliations will include CBS (11), NBC (9), ABC (7) Fox (1), CW (1) and MNT (1).  Sixteen of the 30 stations are located in the Top 75 DMAs.  The new company will be more geographically diverse and will have a presence in more markets that generate strong political revenues.  Its increased size will enhance its ability to participate in retransmission revenue growth, share growth of national and digital advertising, and syndicated programming purchasing.

J. Stewart Bryan III, chairman of Media General, said, "The business combination of Media General and Young is a transformational event that will benefit shareholders, employees and the communities we serve.  The combination provides immediate accretion to free cash flow, a strong balance sheet, the opportunity to refinance debt at a much lower cost and attractive synergies.  Young's management and its owners share Media General's commitment to quality local journalism and to operating top-rated TV stations, making this merger a unique and compelling combination with significant growth potential.  I have agreed to vote all of my shares to unwind Media General's dual-class stock structure and to approve the transaction.  I look forward to benefiting as a continuing long-term shareholder in the new Media General."