05 Mar 2011

Schilling, Braley Travel to Afghanistan

By Alexandra Krasov

Quad City Congressmen Travel to Afghanistan
Rep. Braley, Rep. Schilling Make Official Visit

Washington, DC - Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) and Congressman Bobby Schilling (IL-17) traveled to Afghanistan to meet with top U.S. military officials and local Afghan leaders. The Congressmen also visited U.S. troops from Illinois and Iowa.

Rep. Braley, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said:
"I was pleased to meet General Petraeus and our top commanders in Afghanistan - and to get their sense of the full scope and progress of our mission there."

Rep. Schilling, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said: "It was important to me to be fully informed of American Military activity in Afghanistan."

Both Rep. Braley and Schilling praised U.S. troops and were pleased to hear directly from them during the visit.

Rep. Braley said: "I am proud of all our soldiers, and especially so of the Iowa National Guard troops that I had the chance to meet with. These brave men and women are doing an extraordinary job at protecting America."

Rep. Schilling said: "I am proud of the work being done by our troops in Afghanistan and I am inspired by their dedication to the mission. Our troops have made great progress developing relationships with local leaders and killing or capturing terrorist cells."

Both Congressmen traveled to Afghanistan on a fact-finding mission with the House Armed Services Committee.

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Braley Meets with Gen. Petraeus, Iowa National Guard Troops

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) is returning from a fact-finding Congressional delegation trip to Afghanistan, where he met with General David Petraeus, Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, and Iowa National Guard troops from the First Congressional District.

"Yesterday, I met with General Petraeus and top commanders to discuss our mission and progress in Afghanistan," said Rep. Braley. "I also had the chance to visit several Iowa National Guard troops and talk to them about their experiences. Our brave soldiers make tremendous sacrifices to protect this country, and I want to make sure they can complete their mission and come home safely."

High-resolution photos from Rep. Braley's trip are available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/repbraley/sets/72157626077750269/

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03 Mar 2011

Molly McNett to Read in The River Readings at Augustana

By Margaret Rogal

(Augustana College, Rock Island, IL) -Winner of the 2008 John Simmons Award for fiction from the University of Iowa Press for her book of short stories, One Dog Happy, Molly McNett reads in River Readings at Augustana on March 24.

In the story "One Dog Happy" McNett writes,

"...in that very moment?because, perhaps, the dog had been sensing this slackening, or, more likely, because it caught, just at that moment, a particular musk for which it lusted more than anything in the world?the dog gave a sudden sharp yank on the leash.

And that was that. The leash just slipped off of Mr. Bob's hand, and the dog was off, into the long grasses of the prairie. For a few moments, he could see it, the tail arcing like a dolphin's fin in the ocean of prairie grass, up and down, until suddenly the movement ceased."

Annie McCormick of Booklist writes, "In this heartbreaking collection, McNett breathes life into her very realistic characters, all of whom are struggling to play the unlucky hand they've been dealt. With each story firmly planted in the heartland of America, emotions run rampant as each copes with his or her poignant situation. A father buys his mail-order bride designer dresses, while his two daughters don thrift-store sweaters. Ellen imagines strange sexual scenarios to mentally escape her troubled life at home. ... In perhaps the most memorable piece of the collection, "Ozzie the Burro," two complete characters emerge from the page when a woman reveals the details of her troubled past through a series of letters written to a man she met on an Internet dating site. McNett subtly brings a touch of optimism and compassion to her stories from some improbable places."

McNett holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she was a teaching-writing fellow. In 2008 and 2009 her stories were awarded the Peden Prize from the Missouri Review, given a special mention in the Pushcart Prize series, and named as one of the 100 Distinguished stories from the Best American Short Stories series, edited by Salmon Rushdie. McNett was recently awarded a fellowship to the MacDowell colony, and is at work on a novel in stories. She teaches English composition at Northern Illinois University.

The reading is free and open to the public and takes place Thursday, March 24, at 7:00 p.m. in Wallenberg auditorium in Denkmann Memorial Hall (3520 7^th Ave.) on the Augustana College campus. A reception follows the reading.

The River Readings at Augustana is sponsored by the Institute for Leadership and Service, the Thomas Tredway Library, and the English Department at Augustana College.

The River Readings at Augustana calendar:

April 14, Dora Malech, poetry

03 Mar 2011

Happenings at The Old Creamery Theatre Company March 31 through May 29, 2011

By Shelley Oehler

Thursday, March 31

Art, by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, 3 p.m., The Old Creamery Theatre Studio Stage, Middle Amana. Tickets: $27 adults; $17.50 students. Call the box office 800-35-Amana or www.oldcreamery.com.

Friday, April 1

Art, by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, 7:30 p.m., The Old Creamery Theatre Studio Stage, Middle Amana. Tickets: $27 adults; $17.50 students. Call the box office 800-35-Amana or www.oldcreamery.com.

Saturday, April 2

Sunday, April 3

Thursday, April 7

Friday, April 8

Saturday, April 9

Sunday, April 10

Thursday, April 14

Friday, April 15

Saturday, April 16

Sunday, April 17

Saturday, April 23

Charlotte's Web, 1 p.m., an Old Creamery Theatre for Young Audiences production at The Old Creamery Theatre, Amana. Tickets: $8. Call the box office 800-35-Amana or www.oldcreamery.com.

Thursday, April 28

The Dixie Swim Club, by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, 3 p.m., The Old Creamery Theatre Main Stage, Amana. Tickets: $27 adults; $17.50 students. Call the box office 800-35-Amana or www.oldcreamery.com.

Friday, April 29

The Dixie Swim Club, by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, 7:30 p.m., The Old Creamery Theatre Main Stage, Amana. Tickets: $27 adults; $17.50 students. Call the box office 800-35-Amana or www.oldcreamery.com.

Saturday, April 30

Charlotte's Web, 1 p.m., an Old Creamery Theatre for Young Audiences production at The Old Creamery Theatre, Amana. Tickets: $8. Call the box office 800-35-Amana or www.oldcreamery.com.

Sunday, May 1

Wednesday, May 4

Thursday, May 5

Friday, May 6

Saturday, May 7

Charlotte's Web, 1 p.m., an Old Creamery Theatre for Young Audiences production, at The Old Creamery Theatre, Amana. Tickets: $8. Call the box office 800-35-Amana or www.oldcreamery.com.

Sunday, May 8

Wednesday, May 11

Thursday, May 12

Friday, May 13

Saturday, May 14

Sunday, May 15

Wednesday, May 18

Thursday, May 19

Friday, May 20

Saturday, May 21

Sunday, May 22

Wednesday, May 25

Thursday, May 26

Friday, May 27

Saturday, May 28

Sunday, May 29

28 Feb 2011

Poetry Out Loud Regional Contest Winners Move On to State Contest

By Tracy White

On Friday, February 18th, students from Orion High School and United Township participated in the Poetry Out Loud regional contest at Quad City Arts. The event was exciting and enriching and all in attendance were edified and entertained by the student recitations.

We are happy to announce the winners of the contest: 1st place was Nathan Walter from Orion HS. Nathan recited "Memory As A Hearing Aid" by Tony Hoagland and "Alone" by Edgar Allan Poe. Runner-up was Amanda Wales from United Township HS. Amanda recited "Fairy-Tale Logic" by A. E. Stallings and "When You Are Old" by W. B. Yeats. Lisa Amlong from Orion placed third and thus qualified as an alternate and will also attend the State Contest. Lisa recited "A dream Within A Dream" by Edgar Allan Poe and "Fairy-Tale Logic" by A. E. Stallings.

The winners of this competition will now advance to Illinois' State Poetry Out Loud Competition, being held Friday, March 11, 2011, at the Hoogland Center for the Arts in Springfield. The State champion will advance to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals on April 28-29, 2011 in Washington, DC, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed with the grand prize being $20,000.

The competition, presented in partnership with the Illinois Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation is honored to provide travel support for regional and state finals of Poetry Out Loud in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

For further information, call Poetry Out Loud Regional Coordinator, Tracy White at 563-579-7630

22 Feb 2011

DISCOVER SUMMER ADVENTURES AT RIVERMONT COLLEGIATE

By Tammi Burrell

Keep young minds sharp over the summer with educational programs at Rivermont Collegiate! Rivermont is offering an assortment of Summer Adventures for children from preschool age and up. Programs cover a wide variety of interests - from cooking to poetry - to French and microbiology. Children from any school may register. Sessions run for one week from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. or from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.; each session cost $110 and some require an additional $25 lab fee. Students attending two classes per day need to bring a sack lunch. Lunch time will be from 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Rivermont strives to prepare students who are grounded in the basics, yet able to think analytically and creatively, to confidently meet the challenges of the 21st century. Check out full class descriptions and obtain a registration form at www.rvmt.org.

Preschool - Junior Kindergarten - Kindergarten

June 20-24 Mad Science! (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

June 20-24 Stories & More (12:00 - 3:00 p.m.)

June 27-July 1 Cooking Class (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

July 18-22 Take Me Out to the Ballgame (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

Grades K - 2

July 18-22 Dig Into Dinosaurs (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

Grades 1 - 5

June 20-24 Bits, Bytes and Hopefully NO Bugs! (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

June 27-July 1 Poetry, The Symphony of Words (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

June 27-July 1 Got Game? (12:00 - 3:00 p.m.)

Grades 3 - 12

June 27-July 1 Une Semaine à Paris! (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

July 18-22 Scrapadoodle (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

Grades 8 - 10

July 18-22 Seeing the Unseen: Basic Microbiology Techniques (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

July 25-30 Plagues & Poxes & Pestilence - Oh, My! (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

For enrollment information on Rivermont Collegiate contact Cindy Murray at 563-359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org.

For additional information on Summer Adventures at Rivermont Collegiate contact Tammi Burrell at 563-359-1366 ext. 337 or burrell@rvmt.org.

# # #

Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only independent, non-sectarian, PS-12 college preparatory school, ranked #1 on Iowa's AP Index.

-END-

21 Feb 2011

Rock Island Students using theatre to teach others about the dangers of bullying

By M. McNeil

(Rock Island, IL) Members of Washington Junior High's "Lights, Camera, Action Team" are going on tour February 24, 2011.

The 35 member drama club is visiting two local elementary schools with an anti-bullying message. According to the Lights ON Site Coordinator, Kristie Sullivan, the half hour program will discuss bullying, drug awareness and self esteem in a fun, educational way. "The information that bullying is wrong will come through loud and clear in an entertaining way by performing skits, dancing and singing rap", says Sullivan.

14 Feb 2011

Old Creamery offers summer theatre camp

By Shelley Oehler

Amana- The Old Creamery's Theatre for Young Audiences is bringing a week-long theatre camp to Amana this summer!

Camp Creamery: The Legend of Blackbeard's Gold is a week-long workshop for children interested in exploring the exciting world of theatre! The camp is designed to give children ages 7 and up the unique opportunity to work and perform with three professional actors from The Old Creamery Theatre while they rehearse and present a play. The Legend of Blackbeard's Gold is a brand new musical full of pirates, damsels in distress, and plenty of fun! It's a great way for girls and boys to have a theatrical adventure this summer!

Camp Creamery: The Legend of Blackbeard's Gold will be held at The Old Creamery Theatre in Amana July 18th through 22nd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Cost is $65 per child and includes the workshop and a T-shirt. No prior experience is needed but the cast is limited to 60 actors and participants must be able to attend rehearsal every day. Registration is first come, first served and everyone that signs up will be cast in the show. Final performance of the show will be on July 22nd at 7:00 p.m on The Old Creamery's Main Stage.

For more information or to register visit www.oldcreamery.com or contact Jackie McCall at 319- 622-6034 or jmccall@oldcreamery.com. Scholarships will be available for those in need thanks to the generosity of this year's camp sponsor, AEGON.

The Old Creamery Theatre Company is a not-for-profit professional theatre founded in 1971 in Garrison, Iowa. The company is celebrating 40 years of bringing live, professional theatre to the people of Iowa and the Midwest. We thank KGAN and Fox 28, our 2011 season media sponsor.

14 Feb 2011

Grassley to Visit 10 of Iowa's 99 Counties Next Week

By Rick Martin

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley will be in Clinton, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Jackson, Lee, Louisa, Muscatine, Scott and Van Buren counties next week to hold town meetings, visit an Iowa workplace, speak with service club members, and answer questions from students.

These meetings are part of Grassley's annual 99-county tour, which is one of the things he does to stay in touch with Iowans. Grassley has held a constituent meeting in all of Iowa's 99 counties every year since he was first elected to the United States Senate in 1980.

"These meetings give me a chance to talk with Iowans face-to-face. I answer their questions and listen to what they think about the issues. I work for the people of Iowa, so I want this feedback. Constituent meetings are very important when it comes to taking common-sense views to Washington," Grassley said.

Details of Grassley's schedule are below. Grassley will be available for media interviews for approximately 15 minutes following each event. Grassley is a guest at these events. Please contact the organizations for additional information.

Monday, February 21, 2011

7:30 - 8:30 a.m. Meet with Jackson County residents, Jackson County Town Meeting, Hurstville Interpretive Center, Community Room, 18670 - 63rd St., Maquoketa

9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Meet with Clinton County Residents, Clinton County Town Meeting, DeWitt Community Center, 512 - 10th St., DeWitt

Noon - 1 p.m. Speak at "Lunch with Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley" sponsored by the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce and Iowa Quad City Area Rotaries, Steeplegate Inn, 100 W. 76th St., Davenport

1:45 - 2:45 p.m. Meet with Scott County Residents, Scott County Town Meeting, Eldridge Community Center, 400 S. 16th Ave., Eldridge

3:45 - 4:45 p.m. Meet with Muscatine County Residents, Muscatine County Town Meeting, Wilton Community Center, 1215 Cypress St., Wilton

6 - 7 p.m. Speak to Columbus Junction Lions, Columbus Community Senior Center, 115 E. Walnut St., Columbus Junction

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

9 - 10:15 a.m. Meet with students and staff at Keokuk Christian Academy, 1578 Hilton Road, Keokuk

Noon - 1 p.m. Speak to Burlington Host Lions, Comfort Suites, 1780 Stonegate Center Drive, Burlington

3:15 - 4:15 p.m. Meet with Van Buren County residents, Van Buren County Town Meeting, Village Cup and Cakes, 202 Main St., Keosauqua

6 - 7 p.m. Speak to Wayland Lions, Wayland Community Center, 218 W. Main St., Wayland

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

7:30 - 9 a.m. Tour and meet with employees at Whirlpool, 2800 - 220th Trail, Amana

-30-

10 Feb 2011

Free Preview of The Old Creamery's Theatre For Young Audiences 2011 School Tour!

By Rick Martin

The Old Creamery's Theatre for Young Audiences kicks off the 2011 school tour with a free preview of What a Difference a Play Makes, Sunday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. on the Main Stage in Amana.

The Old Creamery offers this chance for the community to see What a Difference a Play Makes before it begins traveling to schools throughout Iowa with positive messages incorporated in a thoroughly entertaining show. Stories and songs in the show are based on materials submitted by children in grades 1 through 6 as part of the accompanying writing contest.

Although geared to school aged children, adults will find What a Difference a Play Makes just as much fun as the kids. "Always the highlight of our school year," said a teacher from Horizon Elementary School of a previous school tour. "The kids and adults enjoy the performances equally."

Sean McCall, artistic director at The Old Creamery Theatre said this year's show will be highly theatrical while focusing on ways we all can make a difference in the lives of others and our planet. "Not only is it exciting to once again partner with Character Counts in Iowa to remind everyone that each one of us can make a real difference, but this particular show is going to be a delightful way to celebrate 40 years of The Old Creamery Theatre bringing its particular blend of entertainment and education to Iowa students and educators," he said.

The cast consists of Tom Milligan and Deborah Kennedy of East Amana; Kamille Zbanek of Ely; Nicholas Hodge of South Amana, and T.J. Besler of Manchester. No reservations are needed for the free preview.

The Old Creamery is offering performances of What a Difference a Play Makes, to schools from Feb. 21 through May 13.

07 Feb 2011

SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONTINUES TO STRESS BLOOD SUPPLY

By THERESA KUHLMANN

All eligible donors are urged to give blood or platelets to help replenish decreasing supply

PEORIA, Ill. (February 3, 2011) - The massive winter storm that pounded much of the United States this week increased the number of canceled blood and platelet donations through the American Red Cross to nearly 23,000 since January 1, 2011. Of that number, 1,027 donations have been canceled in Illinois, eastern Iowa and eastern Missouri since Monday, January 31. The situation continues to stress the Red Cross national blood supply for more than 3,000 hospitals across the country.

"The need for blood is constant - patients can't take a snow day," said Shelly Heiden, CEO of the Heart of America Blood Services Region. "We want our donors to stay safe when severe weather strikes. But if it is safe to travel, it's important to schedule a blood or platelet donation appointment to help replenish the blood supply."

The Red Cross urges all eligible donors in unaffected areas to make an appointment to give blood or platelets today, and those in affected areas to donate as soon as travel is safe, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by visiting HTUredcrossblood.orgUTH. All blood types are needed, but there is a special need for donors with type O negative, A negative and B negative blood. Donations will help replenish the Red Cross blood supply to ensure that blood products are readily available for patients with serious medical needs. A listing of upcoming blood drives follows at the end of this news release.

The Red Cross overstocked major medical centers in some of the hardest hit areas in the Midwest earlier in the week expecting airport and road closures. All wheel drive Red Cross vehicles were also readied and deployed to make emergency deliveries. And local law enforcement assisted with emergency deliveries of blood products in some cases.

People have been responding to the call for blood donations, and the Red Cross is grateful to those who are stepping up to donate blood and build the blood supply back to sufficient levels. Every two seconds a patient in the United States needs a blood transfusion. Blood is perishable and has no substitute. Red blood cells have a shelf life of only 42 days and platelets just 5 days - they must be replenished constantly.

Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.

Helping those affected by the storm
TThe American Red Cross has also been on the ground in 19 states, offering food, comfort and a safe place to stay to people affected by the massive winter storm which has buried the country in ice and snow from the Rocky Mountains to Maine.

In Chicago alone, more than 360 people spent Tuesday night in Red Cross shelters. Many were motorists stranded by the storm. In Tulsa, Red Cross disaster workers housed almost 70 people Tuesday night who could not make it home due to the storm.

To help people affected by this winter storm and thousands of disasters in this country and around the world, visit HTUredcross.orgUTH, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

About the American Red Cross
Governed by volunteers and supported by giving individuals and communities, the American Red Cross is the single largest supplier of blood products to hospitals throughout the United States. While local hospital needs are always met first, the Red Cross also helps ensure no patient goes without blood no matter where or when they need it. In addition to providing nearly half of the nation's blood supply, the Red Cross provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families, and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts.

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