Iowa City, IA -Some ideas sound crazy, others really are...creating a homemade medical device, falling in love with a Barbie doll, channeling direct orders from God, moving to a far away city to chase a dream.

Walking the Wire, Riverside Theatre's annual festival of original work from playwrights across North America, will bring to the stage a wide variety of potentially implausible scenarios as part of this year's theme, This Will Never Work.

This year's Walking the Wire is directed by Riverside Theatre Artistic Director Jody Hovland. The show is sponsored by Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT).

"Walking the Wire has all the theatricality of an aerial act - a single performer telling a story in a single spot of light. And this year's theme insures plenty of daring twists and turns as well," Hovland said.

With over 100 submissions from across the U.S. and beyond, the dozen monologues reflect a diverse range of original work from playwrights both near and far.

The 12 playwrights whose work will be presented are: Brent Boyd (North Hollywood, CA); Dave Carley (Toronto, ON); Ron Clark (Iowa City); Mark Harvey Levine (Pasadena, CA); Deborah Magid (Cleveland Heights, OH); Gordon Mennenga (Iowa City); Mike Moran (Mount Vernon); Amanda Petefish-Schrag (Maryville, MO); Gwendolyn Rice (Madison, WI); Janet Schlapkohl (Iowa City); Jen Silverman (Astoria, NY); and Amy White (Mount Vernon).

Three area writers, Clark, Moran and Schlapkohl, will perform their own work, with an additional cast of actors including Tim Budd, David Busch, Fannie Hungerford, Katherine Smith and Jessica Wilson. 

Walking the Wire runs March 2-11. Showtimes are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for 60 and over/30 and under, $15 for youth (18 and under). $15 student rush tickets are available 20 minutes before curtain on a first come, first served basis for any remaining seats. Tickets can be purchased online at www.riversidetheatre.org, by phone at (319) 338-7672 or at the Riverside Theatre Box Office. The Box Office is located at 213 N. Gilbert St, Iowa City. Box Office Hours are: 12 - 4 p.m. Monday - Friday, and one hour before performances.

###

Performance Schedule

Friday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 4 at 2 p.m.

Thursday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 11 at 2 p.m.

Are Mutts Smarter Than Purebred Dogs?
How to Choose Your New Best Friend from an Animal Shelter

Among the biggest victims of the economic recession are the once beloved family pets surrendered to shelters as their owners deal with extended joblessness. The U.S. Humane Society estimates 6 to 8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year - and 3 to 4 million are euthanized.

"We don't have firm numbers but we know anecdotally that the communities that have been hardest hit by the economic downturn are seeing that reflected in their shelter intake numbers," says Inga Fricke, director of sheltering issues for the U.S. Humane Society.

"And, unfortunately, while the majority of the public is in favor of adopting pets from shelters, very few - usually about 20 percent - actually do. That has recently gone up slightly to the mid-20s."

Fricke and retired police officer Irvin Cannon, a confirmed dog lover whose new book, For the Love of Dog Tales (www.FortheLoveofDogTales.com), gives voice to man's best friend, hope people getting back on their feet will consider adopting a shelter dog.

"You won't find a better companion, whether you bring home a mystery mixed-breed or a purebred Labrador," he says. "Everyone thinks mutts are smarter and generally healthier, but really, it all depends on their mix of breeds and which breed strain is dominant."

Border collies and Rottweilers are two of the smartest breeds, Cannon says. But they tend to have other traits, too, which are just as important to consider when choosing what dog best suits your lifestyle. Remember - dogs are as individual as people. A dog's breed, or breed mix, is no guarantee that it will have certain traits.

That said, border collies tend to need lots of room to run and lots of attention - they're high-maintenance, Cannon says. If you can't spend a lot of active time with them, they'll be unhappy and you'll have problems.

Rottweilers are fast learners and loveable family animals, but they also tend to have bold personalities associated with pack leaders. If you don't think you can assert your authority, or if you have young or shy children, you might want to consider a more submissive breed. Dominant dogs that are allowed to bully their family members can become dangerously aggressive.

Here are some other tidbits regarding breeds:

• Among other dog breeds known for intelligence: Shetland sheepdogs, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, poodles, Australian cattle dogs, Papillons and Doberman pinschers.

• Bulldogs, beagles and Basset hounds all start with 'B' but get much lower grades for smarts.

• It's a myth that mutts have fewer health issues than purebred dogs. Because some breeds have tendencies toward problems such as deafness, blindness or hip dysplasia, remember, these are genetic issues that are inherited. So if you're mixed-breed includes some German shepherd, it may also have hip dysplasia (a problem with the joint's bone structure).

• If you're in the market for a purebred dog, you have a 25 percent chance of finding one - although maybe not the breed you want - at a shelter. If your heart is set on a specific breed, check your area for a rescue group specializing in that breed.

About Irvin Cannon

New Building Will Create 260 Jobs and Provide State-of-the-Art Forensic Capability for Area Law Enforcement

BELLEVILLE - February 10, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by state and local officials to break ground on the $37.8 million State Police Metro-East Forensic Science Laboratory in Belleville, a facility that will provide the Illinois State Police with enhanced crime-solving abilities.  As part of the Governor's ongoing commitment to improving public safety in Illinois, the facility will also give police agencies throughout the region a valuable tool for their criminal investigations. The project is creating approximately 260 construction jobs and is expected to be completed in 2013.

"Our law enforcement agencies must keep pace with scientific developments, so that they have all the tools available to investigate crimes and arrest offenders," Governor Quinn said. "This facility gives local authorities access to the very latest tools and technologies to help them conduct investigations more efficiently and put criminals behind bars."

The 64,100 square-foot forensic laboratory funded by Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program will include state-of-the-art space and equipment for crime scene services, trace chemistry, drug chemistry, polygraph, latent prints, firearms and forensic biology/DNA testing. The facility will be located on land purchased in 2007 from Lindenwood University. The project is being administered by the Capital Development Board, which oversees all non-road state-funded construction projects.

"As forensic science technology continues to evolve and forensic scientists are able to provide investigators with more information, there is an increased demand for DNA analysis and other highly specialized testing on crime scene evidence," Illinois State Police Director Hiram Grau said. "With this expertly-designed, state-of-the-art facility, our skilled scientists will be prepared to keep up with technology and demand, enhancing our ability to provide the best possible forensic science and crime scene services on behalf of the victims of southwest Illinois."

For more than two decades, the Illinois State Police has leased 15,000 square feet of renovated office space as its laboratory in Fairview Heights. The rented space can no longer accommodate the agency's technological changes, casework growth and staffing needs. Contegra Construction Company of Edwardsville is the general contractor, and began mobilizing for work on the site in November.

Governor Quinn's $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program is expected to create 439,000 construction jobs while addressing the state's infrastructure and vital facility needs.