CHICAGO - August 14, 2012. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon today announced that Kati Phillips will serve as her new chief of staff effective August 15. Phillips has served as the deputy chief of staff for communications in Simon's office since January 2011 and will continue to fulfill that role. She replaces DK Hirner who plans to work in Missouri.

As chief of staff and communications director, Phillips will work as a senior policy advisor, manage office operations and execute the administration's internal and external communications. She replaces DK Hirner who resigned after successfully re-establishing the office that had been vacant since 2009.

"Kati Phillips shares my commitment to transparency and accountability, and she will serve taxpayers well in this expanded role," Simon said. "I thank DK Hirner for her leadership in starting the office from scratch, and look forward to working with Kati to move our office and state forward."

Phillips formerly served as deputy director of communications for State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. Prior to entering public service, she was an education and news reporter at the Daily Southtown and Star Newspapers in the south suburbs of Chicago and Elmira Star-Gazette in upstate New York. Her watchdog coverage of school districts in Calumet Park and Sauk Village received local and national awards. Born and raised in Bloomington-Normal, Phillips graduated from the University of Iowa and resides in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago.

"I appreciate this opportunity to serve as chief of staff and maintain continuity in our leadership," Phillips said. "I have great respect for Lt. Governor Simon and am excited to pursue meaningful education and ethics reforms that will make a difference for Illinois students and taxpayers."

Among her accomplishments as chief of staff, Hirner lists the Lt. Governor's Complete College tour of the state's 48 community colleges and the resulting policy report, "Focus on the Finish." As a result of Simon's attention to education reform, Illinois was chosen by the Lumina Foundation to participate in its Postsecondary Productivity Strategy Labs, a network that is providing guidance on performance funding for community colleges and universities and higher education affordability and completion issues.

"Now that the office is fully operational and positioned to make a difference in the education of Illinois children, I feel my work in the Illinois Lt. Governor's office is complete," said Hirner, who previously served as the chief of staff and policy director for former Missouri Lt. Governor Mel Carnahan and deputy chief of staff for former Missouri Governor Bob Holden. "I plan to put my experience to good use in helping my friend of 33 years, Mary Still, in her run for the Missouri Senate. It has been a pleasure serving Illinois, and I wish Lt. Governor Simon and her staff all the best and continued success in the remainder of her term."

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THEBEPHATSHWA AIR BASE (08/14/2012)(readMedia)-- The stir-fry sizzled on the grill, filling the room with the aroma of warm beef, vegetables and spices, as Spc. Lenette Tidwell of Chicago, flipped the meat with a large metal spatula.

"You're my best friend for life!" she said excitedly to the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) Head Chef Sgt. Gabobotswe Segosebe.

Tidwell, an administrative specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD), 405th Brigade Support Battalion, Illinois Army National Guard out of North Riverside, Ill., was selected to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cook local African cuisine with the BDF chefs Aug. 12 during Southern Accord 2012 (SA12).

SA12 is a joint exercise in which U.S. military forces come together with the BDF to enhance military capabilities and interoperability through humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping operations and aeromedical evacuation.

The cooks from the 405th worked with the BDF for the last week and a half, providing warm meals to the 1,400 troops on the ground by way of military mobile kitchens. However, Tidwell was able to work with BDF chefs in their kitchen, cooking a recipe of beef stew and fried chicken with rice and maize meal.

Staff Sgt. Martin Fruchtl of Springfield, Ill., mess section sergeant with HHD, 405th, said the leadership chose Tidwell to give her an opportunity to hone her civilian skills. Tidwell is pursuing a certificate in culinary arts from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago, which she should complete in the spring of next year. She is also planning to transition to the mess section at HHD, 405th.

"When the sergeant told me I'd be over here working with the BDF and seeing how they cook, it made me very excited," she said.

Tidwell helped clean the kitchen, prepare ingredients for the soup and help fry the chicken. She said placing the chicken in the oil was her favorite part.

Tidwell said she learned how the BDF work well with only basic ingredients. She said she enjoys how light and healthy the food is. Tidwell also said she especially likes the type of seasoning they use and the white rice.

BDF Chef, Staff Sgt. Moses Ramatlhape, said the goal of having Tidwell experience the food preparation was to exchange knowledge on equipment and learn how the BDF prepare a meal.

Tidwell said she appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the way the BDF cook, and she learned a lot about the culture of the BDF Soldiers. She said she will take back some of the skills the BDF chefs taught her including cutting techniques and some of the recipes.

"This was a good experience and a tasty one too," she said.

 

Tips to Jumpstart an Affair Your Jeans Will Remember

A lot has changed for 21st-century women, but one thing hasn't: Moms still juggle insanely busy lives and their needs usually fall last on the list, says Columbia University-certified health coach Beth Aldrich.

That includes eating - as in, really loving what you eat. Because you didn't really love that bag of chips you downed while watching "An Affair to Remember" for the 200th time, did you?

"How could you?" asks Aldrich, author of the award-winning new book, Real Moms Love to Eat (www.RealMomsLoveToEat.com). "Who could possibly be aware of chips with Cary Grant on the screen?"

It's wonderful to take pleasure in food, she says. It's even OK to eat the things we shouldn't every once in awhile - just be sure to savor every bite. "Eating in front of the TV is not savoring," Aldrich says..

"There are also plenty of great healthy ingredients that you can turn into new foods to love, even healthier versions of those favorite comfort foods from childhood. You'll finish meals feeling energized, emotionally satisfied and best of all, not guilty. And, oh yeah! You'll look great in your skinny jeans!"

Aldrich offers ways to kick off the romance:

• Make it all about YOU: Get back to the basics, remembering the pleasure inherent in the food experiences of your childhood. Think of the simple joy you had crunching into a sweet apple. How does that compare with the high-fructose corn syrup-drenched, refined wheat-flour products that leave you bloated and craving more? Whole foods - those eaten in their natural, unprocessed state, such as a baked potato versus French fries -- give you a fuller eating experience, increase energy and help you look great!

• Get naked with raw foods: Our earliest ancestors were hunter-gatherers who foraged for and consumed a wide variety of caloric intake, mostly consisting of raw veggies. Your body will thank you not long after you include more raw food into your diet, but you don't have to go the full Monty right away. Add fresh berries to your breakfast yogurt, include fresh nuts with your lunch, or replace coleslaw from the supermarket deli with a fresh recipe made from scratch.

• Tame your cravings dragon: One of the swiftest paths to an unhealthy snacking binge is ready-made, highly-processed sweets and baked goods. The craving-attack occurs when moms are busy and haven't planned their meals for the day and it leads to a spike in blood sugar, a crash and then - another monster-sized craving. Have healthy options ready to go. Nutrient-dense whole grains such as quinoa, whole-grain toast with sesame butter, and oatmeal will turn that dragon of yours into a pussycat in no time.

• Hungry for more lovin'?: Think you could force yourself to eat an ounce of dark chocolate every day? High-quality dark chocolate - the kind that doesn't have all the fillers - actually has lots of benefits, not the least of which is ... it's chocolate! Dark chocolate contains natural chemicals that serve as mood boosters and elevate serotonin levels, which enhance our sense of well-being. Health benefits range from keeping blood vessels elastic to increasing antioxidant levels.

"The wrong way to look at the whole-food diet is as an obligation," Aldrich says. "You are doing your body and your taste buds a favor by excluding unnecessary sugar, salt and processed fats from your diet in favor of a variety of spices, fuller textures and a sexier figure."

About Beth Aldrich

Beth Aldrich is the founder of RealMomsLoveToEat.com and a certified health coach through Columbia University and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her new book, "Real Moms Love to Eat: How to Conduct a Love Affair with Food, Lose Weight and Feel Fabulous" won a 2012 National Indie Excellence Book Award. Beth is also a lifestyle green-living expert, writer and public speaker. She is the founder of For Her Information Media, LLC, with productions such as the PBS TV series For Her Information, the radio show A Balanced Life with Beth Aldrich, and her blog, RealMomsLovetoEat.com. She lives in Chicago's North Shore with her husband and three sons.

Farm crops took to the judging table in the John Deere Agriculture Building sponsored by Alliant Energy on Thursday at the 2012 Iowa State Fair.

Complete results below:

FIELD CORN

Single Ear

1) Red Corn Farm, Melvin

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

3) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

4) David Klindt, Bettendorf

5) James Klindt, Bettendorf

6) Kevin Glanz, Manchester

 

Longest Ear

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Sterling Weeda, Holstein

3) Dillon Weeda, Holstein

4) Julie Weeda, Holstein

5) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

6) Paul White, Ames

 

Ten Ears, Yellow Corn

1) James Klindt, Bettendorf

2) Kevin Glanz, Manchester

3) Becky Poduska, Chelsea

4) Lynne Pfantz, State Center

5) David Klindt, Bettendorf

6) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

 

Ten Ears, White Corn

1) David Klindt, Bettendorf

2) James Klindt, Bettendorf

3) Lynne Pfantz, State Center

4) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

5) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

6) Red Corn Farm, Melvin

 

Ten Ears, Open-Pollinated Corn

1) Red Corn Farm, Melvin

2) James Klindt, Bettendorf

3) David Klindt, Bettendorf

4) Mary Zelle, Waverly

5) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Thirty Ears

1) James Klindt, Bettendorf

2) David Klindt, Bettendorf

3) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

4) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

5) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

6) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

 

Full Gallon Shelled Corn

1) David Klindt, Bettendorf

2) James Klindt, Bettendorf

3) Red Corn Farm, Melvin

4) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

5) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

6) Kevin Glanz, Manchester

 

Standard Bushel Basket Ear Field Corn

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) James Klindt, Bettendorf

3) David Klindt, Bettendorf

4) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

5) Lynne Pfantz, State Center

6) Oxford Farms, Cambridge

 

First Time Exhibitors, Yellow Corn

1) Steve Murty, Gladbrook

2) Kevin Glanz, Manchester

3) Thomas Huck, Waverly

 

New Crop, Yellow Corn

1) James Klindt, Bettendorf

2) Lynne Pfantz, State Center

3) David Klindt, Bettendorf

4) Dean Stormer, Bridgewater

5) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

 

New Crop, White Corn

1) James Klindt, Bettendorf

2) David Klindt, Bettendorf

 

Ornamental Corn

1) Red Corn Farm, Melvin

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Dwight Sanders, Vinton

4) David Klindt, Bettendorf

 

Sweepstakes: James Klindt, Bettendorf

 

First Place Overall: James Klindt, Bettendorf

 

FORAGES, GRASSES AND LEGUMES

Alfalfa

1) David Klindt, Bettendorf

2) James Klindt, Bettendorf

3) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

4) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Alsike Clover

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Birdsfoot Trefoil

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

4) Mary Zelle, Waverly

 

Smooth Bromegrass

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Medium Red Clover

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

3) David Klindt, Bettendorf

4) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Millet

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Orchard Grass

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

4) Mary Zelle, Waverly

 

Reed Canarygrass

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

3) Mary Zelle, Waverly

4) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Sudan

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Sweetclover

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

4) Mary Zelle, Waverly

 

Timothy

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

4) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Any Other

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

4) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Sweepstakes: Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

POPCORN

Commercial, White Hybrid Popcorn

1) Becky Poduska, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Commercial, Yellow Hybrid Popcorn

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Dawn Troutner, Melbourne

 

Commercial, Mushroom Hybrid Popcorn

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Becky Poduska, Chelsea

3) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

 

Ornamental, Japanese Hulless/White Rice Popcorn

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Red Corn Farm, Melvin

3) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Ornamental, Strawberry Popcorn

1) Red Corn Farm, Melvin

2) Becky Poduska, Chelsea

3) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

4) Lynne Pfantz, State Center

 

Ornamental, Lady Finger Type Popcorn

1) Becky Poduska, Chelsea

2) Dawn Troutner, Melbourne

3) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

4) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Ornamental, Any Other Popcorn

1) Red Corn Farm, Melvin

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Becky Poduska, Chelsea

4) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Ornamental, Shelled Popcorn

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Lynne Pfantz, State Center

3) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

4) Becky Poduska, Chelsea

 

Sweepstakes: Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

SHEAF GRAINS

Brome Grass for Seed

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

3) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

4) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Millet for Seed

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Early Oats

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Mary Zelle, Waverly

4) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Mid Season Oats

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

3) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

 

Late Season Oats

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Orchard Grass

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

 

Rye in Straw

1) David Klindt, Bettendorf

2) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

3) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

4) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Grain Sorghum

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

3) Casey Cortum, Norwalk

 

Spring Wheat in Straw

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

3) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

4) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

 

Winter Wheat in Straw

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Sweepstakes: Chuck Werner, Chelsea

 

SMALL GRAINS AND LEGUMES

Early Oats

1) None Awarded

2) David Klindt, Bettendorf

3) James Petersen, Knoxville

4) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

 

Mid Season Oats

1) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

2) David Klindt, Bettendorf

3) Lynne Pfantz, State Center

4) Thomas Huck, Waverly

 

Late Season Oats

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

 

Oats - Any Other Officially Recognized Variety

1) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

2) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

3) David Klindt, Bettendorf

4) Dwight Sanders, Vinton

 

Red Clover Seed

1) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

2) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

 

Spring Wheat

1) None Awarded

2) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Winter Wheat

1) David Klindt, Bettendorf

 

Any Other

1) David Klindt, Bettendorf

2) Willard Hoskin, Keosauqua

3) Steve Murty, Gladbrook

 

SOYBEANS

Early Soybeans

1) Mary Zelle, Waverly

2) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

3) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

4) Rick Baumhover, Chariton

5) Lynne Pfantz, State Center

6) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Mid Season Soybeans

1) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

2) James Klindt, Bettendorf

3) Thomas Huck, Waverly

4) Mary Zelle, Waverly

5) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

6) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

 

Late Season Soybeans

1) Mary Zelle, Waverly

2) Oxford Farms, Cambridge

3) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

4) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

5) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

6) Dean Stormer, Bridgewater

 

Specialty Food Soybean

1) Kevin Glanz, Manchester

2) Mary Zelle, Waverly

3) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

 

Soybean Bundles

1) Jay Van Wert, Hampton

2) Mary Zelle, Waverly

3) Chuck Werner, Chelsea

4) Ronald Zelle, Waverly

5) Ginger Werner, Chelsea

6) Dean Stormer, Bridgewater

 

Sweepstakes

1) Mary Zelle, Waverly

 

First Place Overall (classes 37-39)

1) Mary Zelle, Waverly

 

First Place Overall (class 40)

1) Kevin Glanz, Manchester won

 

"Nothing Compares" to the 2012 Iowa State Fair, August 9-19. The Fairgrounds are located at East 30^th and East University Avenue, just 10 minutes east of downtown Des Moines, and are open 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day of the Fair. Exhibit hours may vary. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit iowastatefair.org.

 

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