30 Dec 2010

Midwest home to world's largest synthetic ice rink

By Kylie Crull

The world's largest synthetic ice rink opened in December in Rockford, Ill., as part of the first Harris Winter Wonderland.  Synthetic ice is widely used around the world, but no one has attempted a rink of this size outdoors until now.  What makes this venue unique is the 12,000-square-feet of synthetic ice, which includes an 800-foot skating trail around the park.  The surface is great for beginners and children, and it can be used whether it's 10 degrees or 90.

An empty, unused park was transformed to create the new Harris Winter Wonderland, complete with the ice skating surface, benches, evergreen trees, a fire pit, warming area and hundreds of twinkling lights.  The construction of the rink took only four days thanks to the hard work of volunteer union laborers.

Admission to skate is only $3 and skate rental is $2.

27 Dec 2010

BOWLING INDUSTRY YES FUND TO HELP HIGH SCHOOL TEAM FOLLOWING FIRE

By Jason Overstreet
ARLINGTON, Texas - The new Youth Education Services (YES) Fund will be sending a holiday gift to the high school bowling team in Rock Island, Ill. Every member of the team will receive new equipment from one of the YES Fund's founding partners.
In the early morning hours of December 21, fire tore through the Town & Country Bowl in Rock Island. The bowling center along with most of the high school team's equipment was destroyed.
"My bowlers were devastated," Rock Island High School coach Jim Braet said. "I have been coaching there 31 years and feel like we lost a friend."
The fire meant Braet's team in the middle of the season had lost its home center and gear for upcoming competitions. When staff at the International Bowling Campus was contacted about the Rock Island team's loss, they quickly mobilized the YES Fund to help.
"The YES Fund is here to bring the bowling industry together in support of youth bowling," Bowling Proprietors' Association of America Director of Youth Chad Murphy said. "When we heard about this great high school team that lost nearly everything they needed to compete right before Christmas, we decided to step in."
The YES Fund's partner brands Brunswick, Columbia 300, Ebonite, 900 Global, Hammer, Roto Grip, Storm and Track donated new equipment for the Rock Island High School team. Nearby Milan Lanes will be the school's home center the remainder of the season.
"The YES Fund is a great, fantastic thing to keep a program going," Braet said. "This is going to be a boost to the kids' morale."
In November, the YES Fund introduced a new high school grant program. The Yes Fund-High School Grant Program will provide $2,500 to four high school programs annually. The high school teams must show financial need because of budget cuts or other changes, or may request funding to start a new program.
The YES Fund is a joint initiative of the BPAA and the United States Bowling Congress and is made possible by many of the leading brands in bowling including Brunswick, Columbia 300, Ebonite, 900 Global, Hammer, QubicaAMF, Roto Grip, Storm, Track, the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America, the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association, Luby Publishing International and  Bowlers Journal International.
About International Bowling Campus
The International Bowling Campus (IBC) is the headquarters for the bowling industry and directly serves the more than 71 million bowlers in the United States. The IBC houses the resources of the United States Bowling Congress, the governing body and membership organization for the sport; the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, representing the business interests of bowling centers; Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm for the industry; the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame; The Bowling Foundation; the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association; the Bowling Writers Association of America; the Bowling News Network; the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America; and the International Training and Research Center.
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21 Dec 2010

VANDER VEER LAGOON NOT READY FOR SKATING

By Ron Summers

(December 20, 2010) - Despite the recent winter like weather, Vander Veer Lagoon is NOT safe for ice skating.  There was a very thin layer of ice on the surface of the lagoon before snows of the last couple of weeks started.  The snow has since been an insulator stopping additional ice from forming.  In order for there to be a safe and suitable surface of ice, we will need significantly cold temperatures over a long stretch of time.

 

If ice conditions become safe, Davenport Parks and Recreation will work the ice to make it suitable for skating.  Check the Parks and Recreation website at www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/parks for updates on the ice conditions at Vander Veer. In the meantime, indoor skating is available at the River's Edge, 700 W River Drive in downtown Davenport.

20 Dec 2010

Harkin, Grassley Introduce Resolution Honoring Iowa Native Bob Feller

By Sen. Tom Harkin
Washington, D.C -  Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today introduced a resolution in the Senate honoring baseball great Bob Feller who passed away on Wednesday.  Feller, a Van Meter native, was known as a great Iowan, a great baseball player and a great patriot.   The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), George Voinovich (R-OH) and Jim Bunning (R-KY).

"This week we lost a great American," said Harkin. "Bob Feller was one of the greatest baseball players in history, but also a decorated soldier who willingly interrupted that career to enlist in the military to serve in World War II.   We do not just honor him because of his athletic achievements, we recognize him as a great American and patriot."

"Bob Feller knew the honor and duty of being an American, and he took that responsibility very seriously.  When his country needed him, he was the first to leave his professional baseball career and answer the call.  And, though most will remember him for his curveball, Bob Feller most wanted to be recognized for his service in World War II defending the United States from totalitarian powers and promoting liberty and freedom around the world," Grassley said.  

Feller started his baseball career as pitcher for Van Meter High School.  He went on to play 16 seasons in the major leagues, during which he had 2,581 strikeouts and 266 wins.  He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962.  Feller also served our Nation in the Navy during World War II, enlisting two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.   Due to his service, he lost four baseball seasons, but has said he never regretted his choice.

A copy of the resolution can be found here.
16 Dec 2010

Do-It-Yourself Deer Processing

By J. Wayne Fears
12/10/2010 - If you take a deer this season, don't miss out on some of the most-delicious meat ever. Researchers have proved that venison, a heart-friendly meat, contains fewer calories than the same size serving of chicken or turkey and one-half the calories of ham or ground chuck. Venison also has more protein than freshwater or saltwater fish and one-tenth as many fat grams as ground chuck. A rich source of trace minerals, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, phosphorus and iron, venison has a cholesterol content comparable to chicken and turkey.

To process your venison yourself:

* Have your equipment ready. Always carry: a deer drag; a sharp knife like the Pro Tool Hunt Utility Knife, made of 3/16-inch-thick carbon steel and featuring a finger grip below and scalloped thumb grooves above, that gives me a secure grip and ultimate maneuverability for field dressing; gloves; and Hunter's Specialties' Wild Gamekeeper Spray, which helps prevent the growth of bacteria by lowering the pH on the surface of the animal, creating an acid base where bacteria can't grow in your daypack.

* Look for a hill or a log that you can drag your deer to as soon as you recover it. Put the deer's head up and the body down to make field dressing easier. Gravity will help the entrails to come out easier.

* Use a Hunter's Specialties' Butt Out Tool, a product that disconnects the deer's anal alimentary canal easily.

* Wear field dressing gloves to open the deer's cavity and remove the entrails.

 

* Don't wash the open cavity with water, even after removing the entrails. Use Wild Gamekeeper Spray, and coat the cavity with it.

* Hang the deer in a cooler or the outdoors, if the area has below-40-degree temperatures for 2-3 days. Then the animal can cool-down and age, which will mean better-tasting meat.

* Remove the hide, and cut-up the meat.

* Use a very-sharp, clean knife like the compact, perfectly-balanced Pro Tool Hunt Utility Knife and a saw to separate the meat.

* Cut away all fat, connective tissue and gristle before packaging the meat for the freezer to ensure the very-best-tasting venison when you prepare it later.

* Allow cuts of venison to unthaw in the refrigerator in heavily-salted water after removing the meat from the freezer for 24 - 48 hours. Be sure to wash all the salt off before preparing venison to eat.

In my new "Deer Hunter's & Land Manager's Pocket Reference" book that will be available in a few weeks at www.protoolindustries.net, there's a full chapter on how to clean and quarter your deer besides an abundance of vital information about deer. At the Pro Tool Industries website, you'll also find my book, "How to Make Jerky and Pemmican" and free venison recipes.


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06 Dec 2010

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on Passing of Cubs Legend Ron Santo

By Andrew Mason
CHICAGO - December 3, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today issued a statement regarding the passing of Chicago Cubs legend Ron Santo.
"Anyone fortunate enough to meet Ron Santo met a man who cared about everything important in life," said Governor Quinn. "Ron Santo cared deeply about his family, the Chicago Cubs and their fans throughout the world. Not only did he play major league baseball while suffering from diabetes, he also dedicated his life to finding a cure for the disease. Ron Santo was more than a great baseball player and announcer - he was a great person and all of Illinois mourns his passing."
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02 Dec 2010

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS BRING BASKETBALL'S FIRST-EVER 4-POINT SHOT TO MOLINE

By Rick Martin
Basketball's most prolific innovators push sport forward once again;
Game-changing 4-pointer to make its mark at i wireless Center in Moline on January 8

 PHOENIX (December 2, 2010) - The Harlem Globetrotters, who have contributed more innovations to the game of basketball than any other team in history, have implemented the first-ever 4-point shot as part of all of its games on the team's 2011 "4 Times the Fun" North American tour, the team's record 85th season of touring.

The Globetrotters will debut the 4-pointer to a national audience on Sunday, December 5, at 7:30 p.m. EST, when ESPN2 telecasts the Globetrotters' game against the Washington Generals from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

This game-changing innovation will be on display when the Globetrotters take on the Washington Generals at i wireless Center on January 8, 2011 at 7:00p.m. Tickets, starting at $16.00, are on sale at www.harlemglobetrotters.com, the the i wireless Center box office, or by phone at 800-745-3000. Information on group and scout tickets can also be found at www.harlemglobetrotters.com.

"The Globetrotters have been at the forefront of basketball's evolution throughout the sport's history," said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider. "From the alley-oop to the slam dunk to the behind-the-back pass, the Globetrotters have long brought innovations to basketball that are now staples of the game, and we're confident the 4-point shot will change the game of basketball going forward."

Throughout the 2011 North American tour, which will travel to 220 cities in 46 U.S. States and six Canadian provinces between December 26 and April 17, every Globetrotters game will now feature two designated 4-point shooting spots on each side of midcourt, each located 35 feet from the basket (the spots are 12 feet beyond the NBA's official 3-point line). The 4-point option is expected to further open up the playing floor for the Globetrotters as well as their opponents, the Generals, and is expected to generate even more high-scoring action and competitive play.

"Bring it," said Washington Generals President Red Klotz, whose team has not beaten the Globetrotters since January 1971, when Klotz himself sank a game-winning shot in Martin, TN. "Long-range marksmanship is a Generals trademark, and we've already installed several new plays to take advantage of the 4-pointer. If anything, this only makes us stronger."

"I only wish they had this shot when I was playing," said Globetrotter Legend Curly Neal, one of only five Globetrotters in history to have his jersey number retired. "I could have lit up that scoreboard all night long."

Sponsored by Campbell Soup Company, Howard Johnson Hotels, America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, Greyhound Lines and Spalding, the Original Harlem Globetrotters continue a world famous tradition of ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that continues to thrill fans of all ages.

Throughout their history, the Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 120 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans?among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents?over more than eight thrilling decades.

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02 Dec 2010

Cross Country Ski Clinic Planned

By Michael J. Granger
On Saturday, December 11th at 9:30 A.M., the Wapsi River Environmental Education Center will host a cross country ski clinic.  Come learn the basics of cross country skiing and explore the wintery open spaces of the Wapsi River Center.  All experience levels are welcome.  Please call 563-328-3286 to register for equipment - please provide gender, height and shoe size of each participant.

The Wapsi River Environmental Education Center can be found 6 miles south of Wheatland or 1 mile northwest of Dixon, Iowa, by taking County Road Y4E, then turning north at 52nd Avenue and following the signs for about 1 mile.

22 Nov 2010

RIVERMONT ALUMNI TAKE TO THE COURT

By Brittany Marietta

Rivermont alums score big on and off the court!  Rivermont Collegiate will host the annual Alumni Basketball Game on Tuesday, November 23rd at 6:30 p.m. in the gym on the Rivermont campus. This special event gives alumni the opportunity to re-connect and reminisce with classmates and faculty while enjoying some friendly basketball competition - often against former teammates!  Alumni Cheerleaders will be performing and Alumni will have the opportunity to meet the current Rivermont Varsity Basketball team and Varsity Cheerleaders.  Rivermont Alum Kevin Ferris (Class of 1980) and former Assistant Headmaster Ken Ferris will be serving as referees for the night!

With a 126 year tradition, our alumni come from St. Katharine's School (affectionately known as St. Kit's), St. Katharine's - St. Mark's School, and now Rivermont Collegiate.  Alumni are a key piece of the Rivermont community and play many critical roles, from returning to teach and coach to serving on the Board of Trustees.  As an independent college-prep school, Rivermont turns traditional education inside out.  Customized learning ensures students nourish personal talents, while taking risks in academics, leadership, athletics, arts, and service.  A traditional curriculum infused with innovative ideas and technology provides a solid foundation, creating alumni who sustain a path of life-long learning and engage fully in their local, national, and global communities.

Alumni who plan to attend should RSVP to Athletic Director Ed Knupp at knupp@rvmt.org.

This event will take place on the Rivermont campus, located at 1821 Sunset Drive in Bettendorf (directly off 18th Street behind K&K Hardware).

08 Nov 2010

Harkin Commends EPA Decision to Deny Ban on Lead in Fishing Gear

By Sen. Tom Harkin
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today commended the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its decision to deny a petition calling for a ban on the manufacture, use and processing of lead in fishing gear.  On October 15, Harkin wrote to EPA expressing his concern that such a ban on lead in fishing gear would impose major changes and possibly business failure for fishing gear manufacturers.  He also raised concerns that it would require major changes for recreational sport anglers across the country.  Harkin asked EPA to thoroughly consider whether or not such a ban on the federal level was warranted.  A copy of that letter can be found here.  In 1995, Harkin introduced a bill in the Senate (S.505) to prohibit similar EPA action after EPA issued a proposed rule for a similar ban.

"In Iowa - and across the county - millions of anglers take to rivers, lakes and oceans to enjoy the great outdoors and spend time fishing; and thousands of locally owned small businesses rely on this industry for their livelihood.   I strongly believe that it is important that we do all we can to protect our environment and conserve our natural resources, but at this time there is not enough evidence to show that lead in fishing gear warrants a federal ban that would cause serious problems to the fishing supply industry and disruptions to the sport fishing community," said Harkin.  "I commend EPA on today's decision and especially on their recognition that the sport fishing community is already increasingly using non-lead fishing gear alternatives.  I look forward to continued collaboration with EPA on this, and other issues, that are so important to small businesses and recreationalists."

On August 3, 2010, the American Bird Conservancy and a number of other groups petitioned EPA under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act to "prohibit the manufacture, processing, and distribution in commerce of lead for shot, bullets, and fishing sinkers."  On August 27, the EPA denied the portion of the petition relating to ammunition because the agency doesn't have the legal authority to regulate ammunition.  In a letter today to the petitioners, EPA indicated that the petitioners had not demonstrated that the requested rule is necessary to protect against an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, as required by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  The letter further indicates that the increasing number of limitations on the use of lead fishing gear on some federal and state lands, as well as various education and outreach activities, call into question whether a national ban on lead in fishing gear would be the least burdensome, adequately protective approach to address the concern, as called for under TSCA.  EPA's letter also notes that the prevalence of non-lead alternatives in the marketplace continues to increase.  A copy of EPA's letter and more information can be found here: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemtest/pubs/sect21.htm.

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