Thursday, February 25, 2010

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today said President Barack Obama declared a major disaster declaration for Iowa, triggering the release of FEMA funds to help Iowa recover from the severe winter storm and snowstorm that occurred on December 23 - 27.  Additional designations may be made at a later date after further evaluation.

"Winter weather hit Iowa extremely hard and caused an enormous amount of damage," Grassley said.  "It's good to see this disaster being addressed by President Obama so Iowans can continue cleaning up the damage."

FEMA will provide assistance to Adair, Audubon, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cherokee, Clay, Crawford, Emmet, Franklin, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Ida, Monona, Page, Pottawattamie, Sac, Shelby, Sioux and Woodbury counties through the Public Assistance program.  The Public Assistance program assists state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.

FEMA will also provide snow assistance for emergency protective measures for a 48-hour period for Cherokee, Clay, Emmet, Fremont, Harrison, Ida, Page, Pottawattamie, Sioux and Woodbury counties.

All Iowa counties are also eligible to apply for assistance through the Hazard Mitigation Grant program.  The Hazard Mitigation Grant program assists state and local governments and certain private non-profit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards.

Grassley sent a letter to Obama asking him to grant Governor Chet Culver's request to declare Iowa a major disaster area as a result of the severe winter storm and snowstorm that occurred on December 23 - 27.

A copy of the text of Grassley's letter can be found by clicking here.

"Internships offer both real-world work experience and a close-up view of how our federal legislative process works," Grassley said.  "Interns play a vital role in the function of my office. I hope all interested college students or recent graduates apply."

Applications for the summer sessions are due March 15.  Colleges and universities often recognize internships for college credit.

Interns in Grassley's office assist permanent staff members in the administrative, legislative, and press departments as well as Grassley's Finance Committee staff.  A few examples of intern responsibilities include assisting with scheduling, helping constituents with questions, giving Capitol tours and researching topics related to current Senate issues.

Grassley encourages students of all areas of study to consider the value of learning more about the federal government and, in particular, the process of representative government.

"Working in a Senate office can enhance a college education and make students more competitive job applicants when they graduate. Many of my current staff members are former interns," Grassley said.

Application forms for internships in Grassley's office may be attained by visiting http://grassley.senate.gov, click on Internships under the Info for Iowans tab.  Forms are also available in the placement offices of Iowa colleges and universities, as well as in Grassley's offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Sioux City, and Waterloo.

Internships are also available in his Iowa offices.  For more information on all internship opportunities please contact Cory Crowley, Grassley's internship coordinator, at 202/224-3744.

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February 24, 2010

Charlie King and Karen Brandow, noted folk singers from the Boston area, will perform in the Quad Cities Friday, March 12, to raise money for the Centro Maya Project, to help children and families participating in a school for children with disabilities in San Juan La  Laguna, Guatemala.

The concert will be at 7 pm at Broadway Presbyterian Church, 710 23rd St., Rock Island.  Weavings and jewelry made by the mothers of the children will be sold before the concert.

Until the last few years, children with disabilities were not able to attend school in the Mayan villages in Guatemala.  Because there are few jobs and a shortage of affordable food, 70% of children in Mayan villages like San Juan are malnourished.  The children with disabilities were not expected to live to adulthood.

In 2002, Jeanne Nakamaru, a speech therapist for the Black Hawk Area Special Education District in the Illinois Quad Cities, went to Guatemala and volunteered at Centro Maya, which was a center run by parents.  After she came back she made a presentation about the project at her church, and since that time,  the Unitarian Church in Davenport has raised funds for the Centro Maya program as a social justice project.  Some of the money that has been raised has paid for a physical therapist, hearing aid molds and audiology services, water filtration for village families, and supplemental corn and beans for families of the children attending the Centro Maya school.  Donations have also included children's books in Spanish, hearing aids, eyeglasses, wheelchair, even a van to pick up children from nearby villages.  A number of church members have visited Centro Maya.

Jeanne and her husband Bob Nakamaru have purchased land in San Juan La Laguna and created garden space with water supply for some of the families to grow their own vegetables.  They are aided by local people, including a well-known artist of the area, Benedicto Ixtamer.

Charlie King has been performing in the Quad Cities every year for many years.  Pete Seeger has called him, "One of the finest singers and songwriters of our time." His songs are topical, sometimes moving, and often humorous.  His wife, Karen Brandow, studied vocal performance and guitar during her eight years living in Guatemala in the 1980's.  She performed while there, and has performed with Charlie King sine 1998.  More information about their music is available at www.charlieking.org.

The Peoria Art Guild is now accepting artist applications for the 5 Annual Art Fair at Junction City to be held on June 5 & 6, 2010. The deadline for applications is March 15.

Fine art and fine craft artists living within a 150-mile radius of Peoria are encouraged to apply to the juried art fair. An online artist application form is provided at www.juriedartservices.com. Jurors will select sixty-five regional artists to exhibit their works. Twenty-five percent of the artists selected will live within a fifty-mile radius of Peoria, IL, making the fair truly both a local and regional event. Cash prizes of $15,000 will be awarded during the fair, including a Best of Show award of $5,000.

Last year, over 10,000 people attended the event to view original works by central Illinois' talented fine artists and enjoy the unique, outdoor boutique setting of Junction City Shopping Center.

"Peoria always turns out to support this fair," said Tanya Geranios, Art Fair at Junction City co-chair.

Artists praise the staff and volunteers for the welcoming atmosphere and attention to detail they provide. "Everyone is very nice and helpful and the audience is so supportive of our artist community," said Jacob Grant, a 2009 award winner. From the complimentary meals, booth-sitting, an artist-only break room to the security and set-up assistance provided, the Art Fair at Junction City is a highlight on many artists' schedules. Applications are available at http://www.juriedartservices.com. The deadline for all applications is March 15 .

For more information, please visit www.peoriaartguild.org, or call 309-671-1093, or by email, artfair@peoriaartguild.org. Find us on Facebook for updates and information.

The Peoria Art Guild, one of the nation's oldest visual arts organizations, exists to serve the community and artists through the exhibition and sale of contemporary artwork, to provide education and to promote appreciation of the visual arts. The Peoria Art Guild provides the community with art exhibits, art classes, original artwork for purchase or rent, and other special events such as the Fine Art Fair. Programs are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.