• St. Ambrose University and Genesis Medical Center have entered into a preliminary agreement that could lead to the construction of a multi-million-dollar health-sciences education center on the Genesis West Campus in Davenport. The facility would allow the university to strengthen the interdisciplinary efforts between its health-science programs, which is becoming more important as medical problems become more complex, requiring collaborative solutions devised by teams of health-care professionals. As currently envisioned, the building is expected to cost between $9.8 million and $12.5 million and be between 50,000 and 66,000 square feet. It would consolidate the academic, laboratory, and faculty office space of St. Ambrose's existing health-sciences programs and provide students better access to Genesis clinical opportunities and collaborations with its staff. The facility is expected to be built on land donated by Genesis near the northwest corner of Marquette and Lombard streets. A comprehensive estimate of costs is currently being conducted, and St. Ambrose will be completing a study to determine the feasibility of raising the balance needed for construction through a capital campaign. The results of these reviews will be evaluated early next year. If plans proceed, construction could begin in spring 2007, with the building completed by fall 2008.
• The Iowa Soybean Association, soybean farmers, and thousands of other biodiesel enthusiasts are celebrating the U.S. Senate's approval of the first biodiesel tax incentive. Congress passed the incentive as part of H.R. 4520, legislation concerning the Foreign Sales Corporation/Extraterritorial Income Tax, also known as the American JOBS Creation Act of 2004. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 69 to 17 with senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) voting in favor. The tax incentive, which is structured as a federal excise-tax credit, amounts to a penny per percentage point of biodiesel blended with petroleum diesel. It will lower the cost of biodiesel to consumers in taxable and tax-exempt markets. Based on the USDA baseline estimates for future soybean production, over a five-year time period the biodiesel tax provisions could add almost $1 billion directly to the bottom line of U.S. farm income. For more information about soy biodiesel, contact the Iowa Soybean Association at (800)383-1423 or visit its Web site at (http://www.iasoybeans.com).
• The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) recently released a new edition of the Report Card on American Education: A State-by-State Analysis - 1981-2003. The 2004 Report Card, compiled by Andrew T. LeFevre, features more than 50 tables and figures that display in various ways more than 100 measures of educational resources and achievement. The report's findings suggest that spending more taxpayer dollars on education is not enough to improve student achievement. In addition, the report includes analysis of numerous factors that affect the public education system, including demographics, school choice, and charter-school initiatives. Of particular interest is that Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Iowa had the top-performing public elementary and secondary schools in the nation, as measured by several standardized tests. Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa were ranked first, second and third, respectively, in last year's report card. New Hampshire, which ranked eighth last year, jumped five spots to number three. The District of Columbia, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Louisiana once again ranked at the bottom of the scale. For a copy of the report, visit (http://alec.org/meSWFiles/pdf/2004_Report_Card_on_Education.pdf).
• With the terms of two members of the Black Hawk College Board of Trustees expiring next spring, the school has announced that nominating petitions and other election materials may be picked up from the college beginning October 21. Candidates for the six-year board terms being elected in the April 5, 2005, election can pick up materials in the office of the vice president for administration and finance in Building 1 at the Quad-Cities Campus, 6600 34th Avenue, Moline. The Black Hawk College district includes all or part of nine counties in west central Illinois, consisting of more than 280 individual precincts. For more information, contact David Quillen at (309)796-5002.
• Making office printing more environmentally friendly and cost-effective was the impetus behind starting the Cartridge World business at 5256 Utica Ridge Road in Davenport. Karrie Holland opened the store this month, and it offers to refill printer, copier, and fax-machine cartridges for about half the price of new ones. The store also offers free pickup and delivery services. All refills are 100-percent guaranteed. Cartridge World is a local franchise of the Australian company of the same name. For more information, visit (http://www.cartridgeworld.com) or call (563)344-0465.
• Nine local educators, from a preschool teacher to a high-school counselor, were honored at a dinner by the members of Brubaker Masonic Lodge #675 of Davenport on September 20 at the Davenport Masonic Center. Saluted for their efforts in teaching and preparing young citizens were Dawn Andersen, vocal music instructor at Williams Intermediate School; John Conley, fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at Jackson Elementary; Bob Francois, mathematics teacher at J.D. Darnell High School in Geneseo; Patricia Francois, recently retired science teacher from North High School; Jane Jurgens, fourth-grade teacher from Garfield Elementary; Janet Martin, pre-school teacher at St. Mark Lutheran Church; Jim O'Brien, principal of Jackson Elementary School; Nora Reiter, instrumental music teacher and band director at Williams Intermediate School; and Carol Sissel, guidance counselor at Central High School.
• A team from Bettendorf joined recreational-league tennis teams from across the country to compete for a national title at the USA League Tennis 4.5 Adult National Championships in Tucson, Arizona, from October 15 through 17. The tournament determines the number-one men's and women's teams in the country at the 4.5 level. USA League Tennis is the world's largest recreational tennis league, with more than 530,000 participants throughout the country.
• The Iowa Soybean Association, soybean farmers, and thousands of other biodiesel enthusiasts are celebrating the U.S. Senate's approval of the first biodiesel tax incentive. Congress passed the incentive as part of H.R. 4520, legislation concerning the Foreign Sales Corporation/Extraterritorial Income Tax, also known as the American JOBS Creation Act of 2004. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 69 to 17 with senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) voting in favor. The tax incentive, which is structured as a federal excise-tax credit, amounts to a penny per percentage point of biodiesel blended with petroleum diesel. It will lower the cost of biodiesel to consumers in taxable and tax-exempt markets. Based on the USDA baseline estimates for future soybean production, over a five-year time period the biodiesel tax provisions could add almost $1 billion directly to the bottom line of U.S. farm income. For more information about soy biodiesel, contact the Iowa Soybean Association at (800)383-1423 or visit its Web site at (http://www.iasoybeans.com).
• The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) recently released a new edition of the Report Card on American Education: A State-by-State Analysis - 1981-2003. The 2004 Report Card, compiled by Andrew T. LeFevre, features more than 50 tables and figures that display in various ways more than 100 measures of educational resources and achievement. The report's findings suggest that spending more taxpayer dollars on education is not enough to improve student achievement. In addition, the report includes analysis of numerous factors that affect the public education system, including demographics, school choice, and charter-school initiatives. Of particular interest is that Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Iowa had the top-performing public elementary and secondary schools in the nation, as measured by several standardized tests. Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa were ranked first, second and third, respectively, in last year's report card. New Hampshire, which ranked eighth last year, jumped five spots to number three. The District of Columbia, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Louisiana once again ranked at the bottom of the scale. For a copy of the report, visit (http://alec.org/meSWFiles/pdf/2004_Report_Card_on_Education.pdf).
• With the terms of two members of the Black Hawk College Board of Trustees expiring next spring, the school has announced that nominating petitions and other election materials may be picked up from the college beginning October 21. Candidates for the six-year board terms being elected in the April 5, 2005, election can pick up materials in the office of the vice president for administration and finance in Building 1 at the Quad-Cities Campus, 6600 34th Avenue, Moline. The Black Hawk College district includes all or part of nine counties in west central Illinois, consisting of more than 280 individual precincts. For more information, contact David Quillen at (309)796-5002.
• Making office printing more environmentally friendly and cost-effective was the impetus behind starting the Cartridge World business at 5256 Utica Ridge Road in Davenport. Karrie Holland opened the store this month, and it offers to refill printer, copier, and fax-machine cartridges for about half the price of new ones. The store also offers free pickup and delivery services. All refills are 100-percent guaranteed. Cartridge World is a local franchise of the Australian company of the same name. For more information, visit (http://www.cartridgeworld.com) or call (563)344-0465.
• Nine local educators, from a preschool teacher to a high-school counselor, were honored at a dinner by the members of Brubaker Masonic Lodge #675 of Davenport on September 20 at the Davenport Masonic Center. Saluted for their efforts in teaching and preparing young citizens were Dawn Andersen, vocal music instructor at Williams Intermediate School; John Conley, fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at Jackson Elementary; Bob Francois, mathematics teacher at J.D. Darnell High School in Geneseo; Patricia Francois, recently retired science teacher from North High School; Jane Jurgens, fourth-grade teacher from Garfield Elementary; Janet Martin, pre-school teacher at St. Mark Lutheran Church; Jim O'Brien, principal of Jackson Elementary School; Nora Reiter, instrumental music teacher and band director at Williams Intermediate School; and Carol Sissel, guidance counselor at Central High School.
• A team from Bettendorf joined recreational-league tennis teams from across the country to compete for a national title at the USA League Tennis 4.5 Adult National Championships in Tucson, Arizona, from October 15 through 17. The tournament determines the number-one men's and women's teams in the country at the 4.5 level. USA League Tennis is the world's largest recreational tennis league, with more than 530,000 participants throughout the country.
