Ten Winners Announced

BETTENDORF - A total of $10,000 was given to area students to help pay for their college costs as part of the Ascentra Credit Union Scholarship Competition.  There were five $1,000 scholarships available for high school students planning to enter college.  The other five $1,000 scholarships were for members age 19 or over, considered non-traditional or continuing education students. This year Ascentra expanded the number of scholarship recipients from two to ten to better serve our growing membership.

The high school scholarship winners include :

·        Jacob Logan, Bettendorf, Iowa

·        Madison Temperly, Eldridge, Iowa

·        Caitlin Thom, Bettendorf, Iowa

·        Lauren Pittman, Clinton, Iowa

·        Taylor Trumbo, Davenport, Iowa

The non-traditional or continuing education winners include :

·        Micaela Terronez, East Moline, Illinois

·        Hailey Oepping, Muscatine, Iowa

·        Maddison Theisen, LeClaire, Iowa

·        Jessica Tucker, Cleveland, Illinois

·        Darcey Jansen, Eldridge, Iowa

Photos and more information about the winners can be found at www.ascentra.org.  All entries are judged on their essay, resume, awards, extracurricular activities, volunteer services and work experience.  The competition is announced every October with the deadline in March of the following year. Official rules may be picked up at any of our branches or found online at www.ascentra.org/scholarships.

Awarding a total of $10,000 in scholarships is another way Ascentra Credit Union recognizes that financial planning and education is essential to lifetime success for our members and community.

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What: Public Hearing on Age Discrimination in the Workplace

Iowans affected by age discrimination in the workplace and those who are concerned about age discrimination on the job are invited to join AARP for a public hearing with state and national AARP leaders, members of the media and the public to illustrate how important this issue is for the financial security of older workers in Iowa. The hearing is timed for Iowans to share their stories of age discrimination in the workplace as Congress considers legislation sponsored by Iowa Senators Tom Harkin (D) and Chuck Grassley (R), the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act, (S. 1391, H.R. 2852).

When: Thursday, May 29, 2014

10:00 -10:40 a.m. - official remarks and stories of Iowans

10:40-11:00 a.m. - audience questions/comments

11:00 a.m. or immediately following end of comments - media availability with AARP national and state spokespersons

Where: The Hotel at Kirkwood Center - 7725 Kirkwood Blvd., SW, Cedar Rapids

Who:

Eric Schneidewind, AARP Board President-Elect (incoming), Grand Rapids, MI

Cheryl Matheis, Senior Principal Counsel, AARP External Affairs

Kent Sovern, AARP Iowa State Director

Jack Gross and stories from other Iowa victims of age discrimination

Why: According to a recent AARP national survey, Americans believe the problem of age discrimination in the workplace is widespread and growing worse.  About two-thirds (64 percent) of survey respondents think that people over age 50 face age discrimination in the workplace. Further, nearly one-third say they have faced discrimination themselves in the last four years or know someone who has.

Since the landmark Gross v. FBL Financial Services Supreme Court case of 2009 (involving Iowan Jack Gross) makes it more difficult for older workers to prove age discrimination, 82 percent of respondents believe that ruling makes it easier for employers to discriminate. More than three-fourths (78 percent) of respondents support the proposed Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act and want their members of Congress to support it.

International theatre artist Audrey Leclair (Montreal, Quebec) is visiting Davenport for the next three weeks to develop a comedic theatre production with Quad Cities native Daniel Rairdin-Hale (Davenport, IA).

They call themselves 'Du Haut Duo' (pronounced 'duo duo') and they are planning to travel their physical comedy show to Montreal, New York City, and other places around the world...but they are premiering here in the Quad Cities first.

Audrey Leclair recently finished an artistic residency in India and is also developing a show with Théâtre de la Tapisserie, a company she co-founded in Montreal, Quebec.

Daniel Rairdin-Hale teaches and directs theatre locally at St. Ambrose University and recently finished acting in a feature film produced by Fourth Wall Films entitled "Sons & Daughters of Thunder."

Both of them received theatrical clown training at Dell'Arte International in California, where they met and worked with each other for the first time.

While here, they are also leading workshops in red-nose clown and slapstick through the Davenport Junior Theatre.

If you would like to see them perform, there are only four chances:

Sunday June 1, 2014 at the Davenport Junior Theatre at 1:00PM and 4:00PM

Friday June 6, 2014 at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA at 7:30PM

and Saturday June 7, 2014 at the Establishment Theatre in Rock Island, IL at 9:30PM

For more information, images, or to set up an interview with either performer, please contact Daniel at Dan@duhautduo.com or call him at 563-940-3967.

MOUNT CARROLL, IL -- Timber Lake Playhouse, the professional summer theatre in Mount Carroll, opened its box office for ticket sales on Monday, May 19. The playhouse entertains over 20,000 ticket buyers each year with a full line-up of shows and events through August. The 53rd Resident Company includes performers and designers from around the country, chosen from auditions in six cities.

TLP's 53rd Season opens with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (June 5-15). Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical for the whole family has become a massive international hit everywhere it plays. Executive Director James Beaudry put his personal choreographic stamp on this new production, featuring Melissa Weyn as The Narrator and Gabe Brown as Joseph, chosen from over 1000 hopefuls around the country.

TLP Hall of Fame Director Chuck Smith returns for a record 13th consecutive year as a guest director for J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls, June 19-28. In 1912 England, an Inspector interrupts an engagement party, implicating each person in the apparent suicide of a young woman. But is this inspector really who he claims to be? And is this a whodunnit? or a who didn't do it? John Chase of Mount Morris returns to TLP as the patriarch, Arthur Birling, and three time Jeff Award winning Chicago actress Danielle Brothers comes to TLP for the first time in the role of Sybil Birling.

Brad Lyons, longtime TLP Artistic Director and revered master of the ridiculous, returns to direct at TLP for the first time since 2009's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Lyons will translate Mel Brooks film masterpiece Young Frankenstein (July 3-13) to the stage in this musical adaptation starring some of TLP's best-loved comedians. Cody Jolly and Matt Webb, who were adored as they faced off in The Music Man, Unnecessary Farce and Spamalot last year, team up as Dr. "Frokensteen" and "I-gor." Analisha Santini, who stole the show in Boeing Boeing, returns as Frau Blucher.

American comedy writer Neil Simon takes on the New York society types of the late 1980s in Rumors (July 17-26). Derek Bertelsen returns to direct the comedic mayhem, featuring a slew of our favorites as well as brilliant newcomers Grant Brown and Allison Hunt. Part farce and part side-splitting sitcom, Rumors remains one Simon's funniest scripts.

Les Miserables, the most popular musical of all time comes to TLP for the first time July 31-August 10, and it's packed with guest stars. Matthew Teague Miller (The Spitfire Grill at TLP) spent several years as a performer in the first National Tour of Les Miserables. He returns to TLP to direct the show for our audiences. Special guest star Jason Kraack plays the role of Jean Valjean, one of the most challenging in musical theatre. He has done the role on the first National Tour, and was chosen after an extensive national search.  Jeff Award winning Chicago actor John Leen makes his TLP debut as Inspector Javert. Lexie Plath and Erica Stephan return to TLP as Fantine and Eponine, respectively. Newcomers Caroline Murrah and Nathan Goodrich play the young lovers, Cosette and Marius.

Associate Artistic Director Courtney Crouse directs SHOUT! The Mod Musical (August 14-24) with choreography by James Beaudry. This musical review features of the best songs of the 1960s, including the title song, as well as: Downtown Those Were the Days, These Boots Are Made For Walkin',  To Sir With Love, Wishin' & Hopin', I Only Want To Be With You, and even Goldfinger! Five woman sing out the stories of the 60s to the soundtrack of a generation. Daryn Harrell (Children of Eden, Sweet Charity) returns to TLP as a guest star.

Tickets to TLP's mainstage shows are $23 (Seniors $21 and Students $17). To see each show for only $18.33, you may still because a season subscriber until June 15. Subscriptions are $110.  Beaudry said of the ticket prices, "The generosity of individual donors, corporate sponsors, private foundations, the Illinois Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, keep Timber Lake Playhouse an essential cultural and economic driver for the Northwest Illinois region. Without their support, every ticket to TLP would cost $35. We thank them for their continued belief in our work."

To purchase tickets, call the box office at 815-244-2035 or visit them at 8215 Black Oak Rd. in Mount Carroll. Tickets may also be purchased online at 815-244-2035