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PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR "THE CITIES" IS PROVIDED BY A GRANT FROM THE DORIS AND VICTOR DAY FOUNDATION.
>>A HUGE GOAL REACHED, AND A DISCUSSION WITH IOWA SENIOR CENTER, CHARLES GRASSLEY ON "THE
CITIES." >>> IN A MOMENT, WE WILL TALK ABOUT A FUNDRAISER
THAT HAS BEEN THE TALK OF THE CITIES FOR FOUR MONTHS.
BUT, NOW, IT IS TIME TO SEE WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED. BUT, FIRST, A MOMENT WITH IOWA REPUBLICAN
SENATOR CHARLES GRASSLEY. HE ALWAYS HAS BEEN HIS OWN MAN.
BUT LATELY HE HAS MADE THAT EVEN MORE APPARENT. WHETHER QUESTIONING THE OBAMA'S ADMINISTRATION
TACTICS OR EVEN HIS OWN PARTY'S ABANDONMENT OF HIS PLAN TO CUT THE FAT CATS OUT OF THE
FARM BILL. SENATOR GRASSLEY HAS NEVER SHY ABOUT SPEAKING
HIS MIND. SENATOR GRASSLEY IS JOINING US NOW FROM CAPITOL
HILL IN WASHINGTON. SENATOR, THANKS FOR JOINING US.
CAN I START WITH THE NEWS OF THE DAY AND THAT WOULD BE SENATOR CHUCK HAGEL ANNOUNCING DEEP
CUTS IN THE MILITARY. DOES THAT CONCERN YOU ABOUT THE U.S.'S READINESS
IN THE YEARS TO COME? >> THE ANSWER IS YES, BUT MORE AT HOME, THE
AMOUNTS OF CUTS THEY WANT TO COMFORT NATIONAL GUARD AS OPPOSED TO THE FULL TIME MILITARY.
NATIONAL GUARD NOT ONLY SERVE IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND GIVE THEIR LIVES TO THE DEFENSE
OF THIS COUNTRY, FILLING A SLOT THAT IS RESERVED FOR THEM IN TIME OF WAR, BUT THEY ALSO SERVE
A VERY NEED IN THE CASE OF NATURAL DISASTERS IN OUR RESPECTIVE STATES.
AND TO CUT THEM BACK SO MUCH IN DISPROPORTIONATE TO THE FULL TIME MILITARY IS SOMETHING THAT
I DON'T THINK THE GENERALS IN THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO WE NOT ONLY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING OVER ALL TO THE DEFENSE BUDGET,
BUT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT A COST EFFECTIVE UNIT LIKE THE NATIONAL GUARD
DOESN'T GET DISPROPORTIONATELY CUT, AND THAT THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT FORGETS ABOUT THEIR
CIVILIAN OR I SHOULD SAY INSTATE OBLIGATIONS THAT THEY HAVE FROM TIME TO TIME.
OVER ALL, I THINK I'D HAVE TO SAY, YEAH, SOME MONEY CAN BE CUT FROM THE DEFENSE BUDGET.
BUT I THINK YOU OUGHT TO LOOK FIRST AT WASTE, FRAUD, AND MISMANAGEMENT BEFORE YOU CUT PERSONNEL.
IF YOU HAVE TO CUT PERSONNEL, THEN MY RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION WOULD BE THIS: I THINK IT
IS TOO MUCH TOO SOON. IT OUGHT TO BE DONE MORE INCREMENTALLY.
>>PRESIDENT IS ALSO ANNOUNCING SOME $302 BILLION THAT HE WANTS TO SPEND ON INFRASTRUCTURE,
ROADS, BRIDGES, RAIL SYSTEMS. IS IT HIGH TIME THAT THIS IS OCCURRING?
I KNOW THAT YOU DON'T LIKE THE WAY THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN DOING SOME OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS.
>>WE DO HAVE VERY MUCH INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS. BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A COST EFFECTIVE
WAY, AND IT OUGHT TO BE DONE IN A BUDGETARY SOUND WAY.
I THINK THAT MAKING SURE THAT WE DO THINGS THAT SAVE MONEY FIRST.
LIKE LET'S JUST SAY DAVIS BACON REQUIREMENTS. THAT'S A LAW, BEEN ON THE BOOK FOR 90 YEARS.
IT DRIVES UP THE COST OF HIGHWAY BUILDING AND BRIDGE BUILDING BY ONE THIRD.
SEEMS TO ME WE OUGHT TO SAVE THAT MONEY AND PUT IT IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THERE MAYBE NEED FOR SOME NEW REVENUE FOR HIGHWAYS.
THAT'S AN ISSUE. BUT THAT OUGHT TO BE SECONDARY TO MAKING SURE
WE GET THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF WHAT WE DO. THEN I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A CONCENTRATION
ON BRIDGES, AND I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE LESS FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
50 STATES BECAUSE I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE NORTH OF AMES, IOWA, A REQUIREMENT THAT SEVERAL
MILLION DOLLARS WILL BE SPENT ON A VISITOR'S CENTER I MEAN A STOP, YOU KNOW, FOR TRAVELERS
TO REST, A REST STOP I SHOULD HAVE SAID. ANYWAY, IN THAT PARTICULAR INSTANCE, THE STATE
DIDN'T FEEL THEY NEEDED IT, BUT IT WAS A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT.
SO MORE LEEWAY TO THE STATES WOULD HELP OUR DOLLARS GO FARTHER AS WELL.
>>LAST TIME WE TALKED, IT HAD TO DO WITH THE FARM BILL.
AND YOU, OF COURSE, VOTED AGAINST THE FARM BILL, AND FOR A BIG REASON IS BECAUSE OF AN
AMENDMENT THAT YOU HAD PRESENTED, PRETTY MUCH TO CUT, AS I CALLED THEM THE FAT CATS OUT
OF THE FARM BILL, SOME OF THE NON FARMERS WHO ARE PROFITING FROM SOME OF THE FARM BILL
REQUIREMENTS AND SOME OF THE PAYMENTS THAT ARE ALLOWED.
I KNOW YOU ARE VERY ANGRY ABOUT THAT, AND YOU WEREN'T REALLY HAPPY WITH THE CONFEREES
THAT DID CUT IT OUT. IS THE FIGHT OVER FOR YOU OR ARE YOU GOING
TO FIND NEW WAYS TO GET YOUR AMENDMENT REINTRODUCED? >> OH, I HAVE BEEN WORKING AT THIS FOR TWO
FARM BILLS. I THOUGHT I HAD IT WON IN THIS FARM BILL BECAUSE
IT WAS THE SAME IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE. AND THINGS ARE THE SAME IN BOTH HOUSES SHOULD
GO TO THE PRESIDENT THAT WAY. THREE OF THE FOUR PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING
OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE DIDN'T LIKE WHAT I DID.
THEY JUST TOOK IT OUT. THAT'S WHAT MADE ME MAD.
IT WOULD HAVE SAVED $387 MILLION. I THINK IT IS WORTH SAVING $387 MILLION.
BUT IT WASN'T THE DOLLARS SAVED THAT BOTHERED ME SO MUCH, IT WAS THE PROCEDURE THAT THEY
TOOK TO DO SOMETHING THAT THE RULES DIDN'T ALLOW THEM TO DO.
BUT THEY GOT AWAY WITH IT. THE OTHER THING IS, AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE,
I WAS DOING THIS, NOT JUST TO SAVE MONEY, BUT WE HAVE 10% OF THE BIGGEST FARMERS GETTING
70% OF THE BENEFITS OUT OF THE PROGRAM. I THINK THAT WE AND THE RESULT OF THAT HAS
BEEN TO SUBSIDIZE PURCHASE OF LAND TO DRIVE UP THE PRICE OF LAND, THE COST OF CASH RENT
TO KEEP YOUNGER FARMERS FROM GETTING STARTED FARMING.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TARGETED THE FARM PROGRAM TOWARDS MEDIUM AND SMALL
SIZED FARMERS SO THAT THE BIGGEST FARMERS DIDN'T GET MOST OF THE BENEFIT FROM THE FARM
PROGRAM. THE BIGGER YOU ARE, THE MORE YOU OUGHT TO
BE ABLE TO INSURE FOR YOURSELF AS OPPOSED TO HAVING SAFETYNET FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
>>YOU KNOW FARMERS IN IOWA, AS WELL AS WESTERN ILLINOIS PRETTY WELL.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THE FARMERS GAVE ENOUGH IN THE FARM BILL SO TO SPEAK?
DID THEY PULL BACK ENOUGH? >> YES.
I THINK WELL, ONE OF THEM IS QUITE OBVIOUS. I DON'T WANT TO SAY FARMERS GAVE UP SOMETHING
WHEN THEY GAVE UP THE DIRECT PAYMENT BECAUSE, QUITE FRANKLY, THE DIRECT PAYMENT WAS A BAD
PUBLIC RELATIONS ISSUE FOR FARMERS WHEN YOU HAD SEVEN DOLLAR CORN.
WHEN YOU HAVE FOUR AND A QUARTER DOLLAR CORN AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, IT MAYBE A LITTLE
MORE JUSTIFIED. BUT IT IS DONE AWAY WITH, AND THAT SAVES ABOUT
I THINK $16 BILLION ROUGHLY. BUT MOST FARMERS GOING BACK TWO YEARS WHEN
WE STARTED THIS RENEWAL OF A NEW FARM BILL, WE DIDN'T GET IT DONE LAST YEAR SO WE JUST
GOT IT DONE NOW. SO TWO YEAR DISCUSSION, IN MY 99 TOWN MEETINGS
THAT I HAVE EVERY YEAR IN EACH ONE OF THE 99 COUNTIES, AND I HAVE DONE THAT 32VYEARS
IN A ROW, I HAVE DISCOVERED THE FARMER SAYING THEY ARE WILLING TO GIVE UP THE DIRECT PAYMENTS.
THEY WANTED TO KEEP THE CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM OF WHICH THEY CONTRIBUTE A GOOD SHARE OF THE
COST AS THE ONLY SAFETYNET THAT THEY REALLY FELT THAT THEY NEEDED.
>>ONE LAST QUESTION HAVING TO DO WITH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
AS YOU WELL KNOW THE ENROLLMENT DEADLINE IS COMING UP IN A LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH, JUST
BARELY OVER A MONTH. CRITICISM HAS BEEN VERY STRONG IN REGARDS
TO THE LAW IN ITS FIRST PLACE, AS WELL AS OPERATION OF ITS WEB SITE.
WEB SITE SEEMS TO BE FIXED RIGHT NOW. DO YOU THINK THE LAW NEEDS TO BE FIXED? AND
WILL IT REALISTICALLY BE REDONE? >> SURE IT NEEDS TO BE REPEALED, REPLACED
AND REVISED. UNDERSTAND, I SAID REPEALED, REPLACED AND
REVISED. I DIDN'T SAY JUST REPEALED.
NOBODY WILL SAY THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WAS PERFECT, AND I THINK IT IS EVEN WORSE NOW
BECAUSE OF OBAMA CARE. BUT IT IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO LEAD TO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BEING ALMOST TOTALLY INVOLVED AND DICTATING EVERYTHING ABOUT HEALTH CARE.
I DON'T THINK A BUREAUCRAT AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DOCTOR OR HAVE
THE BUREAUCRAT IN YOUR MEDICINE CABINET. AND THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO RESULT AS A RESULT
OF THE GOVERNMENT TAKE OVER OF HEALTH CARE. THAT'S NOT GOOD, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT
WE OUGHT TO REVISE AND REPLACE. >>YOU WERE ONE OF THE BIGGEST DEFENDERS OF
WHISTLE BLOWERS IN CONGRESS AS WE ALL KNOW.
EDWARD SNOWDEN IS PERHAPS THE MOST WELL KNOWN WHISTLE BLOWER RIGHT NOW. DO YOU SEE WHAT
HE DID HAS EVEN JUSTIFIED IN WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THE NSA, AND DO YOU THINK HE
WAS ABSOLUTELY WRONG AND IS NOW A FELON FROM THE LAW?
>> HE WAS WRONG IN HOW HE DID IT, AND HE VIOLATED LAW IN DOING IT THAT WAY.
AND PEOPLE THAT VIOLATE LAW HAVE TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE LAW.
BUT I AM ALSO AN ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE LIKE HIM TO ACTUALLY BE WHISTLE BLOWERS, AND THAT'S
WHY I HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH THE SENATE, BUT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET IT THROUGH THE HOUSE,
AN EXEMPTION FROM WHISTLE BLOWER PROTECTION LAWS THAT WE HAVE NOW.
THE EXEMPTION IS IF YOU ARE NATIONAL SECURITY, YOU CAN'T USE WHISTLE BLOWER PROTECTIONS.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE WHISTLE BLOWER PROTECTIONS. SO IF HE WANTS TO BLOW THE WHISTLE AND NOT
VIOLATE THE LAW, HE HAD A RIGHT TO DO THAT OR WOULD HAVE AN OCCASION TO DO THAT AND A
PROCESS TO DO THAT. HE DECIDED NOT TO HE DECIDED TO GO HIS OWN.
SO HE VIOLATED THE LAW, AND THERE HAS TO BE PUNISHMENT FOR THAT.
>>SENATOR GRASSLEY, I KNOW YOU HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOUR BUSINESS.
WE APPRECIATE YOU. YOU HAVE A VOTE COMING UP.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING SOME TIME TO JOIN US. >>YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GLAD TO BE WITH YOU. ASK ME AGAIN IF YOU WANT TO.
>>THANK YOU SO MUCH, SENATOR CHARLES GRASSLEY, REPUBLICAN FROM IOWA.
>>FEBRUARY IS OVER, BUT WINTER ISN'T. AS WE ENTER MARCH, LORA ADAMS HAS SOME HOT
IDEAS THAT COULD MAKE YOU WANT TO HEAD OUT AND ABOUT.
>>THIS IS "OUT AND ABOUT" FOR FEBRUARY 24 MARCH 2.
I AM LORA ADAMS. THE SPOTLIGHT DANCE CUP 2014 WILL TAKE THE
STAGE AT THE ADLER THEATER. THE DANCE COMPETITION ENCOURAGES EVERY DANCER
TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL. A FLOOR TO CEILING CURTAIN OF SCULPTED AND
FUSED CLEAR GLASS WILL BE ON DISPLAY THE FIGGE ART MUSEUM, CREATING A TRANSLUCENT LANDSCAPE.
KWQC TV 6 WOMEN'S HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE FAIR FEATURES OVER A HUNDRED VENDORS AT THE RIVER
CENTER. WHILE THE CANINE KINDNESS RESCUE IS HAVING
A TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS IN DAVENPORT.
AS PART OF PROMOTING OUR "EMBRACING OUR MILITARY" INITIATIVE, ROCK ISLAND WELCOME CLUB IS ACCEPTING
APPLICATIONS FOR THEIR MERIT SCHOLARSHIP FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHOSE PARENTS WHO HAVE SERVED
OR STILL SERVING IN THE MILITARY. THE 4 H COOKING SPIN CLUBS AT THE U OF I EXTENSION
IS OFFERING HANDS ON COOKING CLASSES FOR MILITARY KIDS.
ON STAGE, THE BLACK LIST PRESENTS "SHOTS AND GIGGLES" AT CIRCA 21 SPEAKEASY.
THE BUCKTOWN REVIEW RETURNS WITH PERFORMANCES BY SOME OF THE SHOW'S MOST POPULAR PERFORMERS
AND NEWCOMERS AS WELL. "LOOK WHO IS KNOCKING" A RETIRING COUPLE WRESTLES
WITH THE FUTURE OF THEIR FARM IS ONE ACT PLAY PRESENTED BY THE LAND CONNECTION.
AND "BUDDY, THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY" CONTINUES ON STAGE AT CIRCA 21 IN DOWNTOWN ROCK ISLAND.
AND RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, THERE ARE LAUGHS APLENTY AT THE ESTABLISHMENT THEATER.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, LOG ON TO WQPT.ORG. >>THANK YOU, LORA.
IN A MOMENT, HELPING FUND THOSE GROUPS THAT ARE CHANGING LIVES IN THE CITIES.
BUT, FIRST, A LOCAL MUSICIAN TAKES TO THE STAGE AT RIBCO IN ROCK ISLAND.
WE CAUGHT UP WITH ROB CIMMARUSTI WHEN HE PERFORMED IN THE DISTRICT.
HERE IS ROB PERFORMING "WILD FIRE." >>> SHE COMES DOWN A YELLOW MOUNTAIN ON A
DARK FLAT LAND SHE RIDES ON A PONY SHE NAMED WILD FIRE WITH THE WHIRLWIND BY HER SIDE IN
A COLD NEBRASKA NIGHT. THEY SAY SHE DIED ONE WINTER WHEN THERE CAME A KILLING FROST.
AND THE PONY SHE NAMED WILD FIRE BUSTED DOWN HIS STALL. IN A BLIZZARD, HE WAS LOST.
SHE RAN AND CALLED HIM WILD FIRE. SHE RAN AND CALLED HIM WILD FIRE.
SHE RAN AND CALLED HIM WILD FIRE. BY THE DARK OF THE MOON, I PLANTED, BUT THERE
CAME AN EARLY SNOW. THEN A HOOT OWL HOWLING BY MY WINDOW NOW FOR
SIX NIGHTS IN A ROW. SHE IS COMING FOR ME I KNOW, AND ON WILD FIRE
WE ARE BOTH GOING TO GO. WE WILL BE RIDING WILD FIRE.
WE WILL BE RIDING WILD FIRE. WE WILL BE RIDING WILD FIRE.
ON WILD FIRE, WE ARE GOING TO RIDE. WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE BUSTED BEHIND, GET THESE
HARD TIMES RIGHT OUT OF OUR MINDS, RIDING WILD FIRE.
(APPLAUSE) >>THAT'S ROB CIMMARUSTI AND "WILD FIRE."
FOR FOUR MONTHS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE CITIES MADE A POINT TO LIVE UNITED.
IT IS THE SLOGAN OF THE UNITED WAY IN THE QUAD CITY CHAPTER HAS JUST ANNOUNCED ITS FUNDS
RAISING TOTAL THAT WILL HELP KEEP THE MISSION ALIVE FOR 90 ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR AREA.
JOINING US IS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER JERRY JONES
AND THE ORGANIZER BEHIND UNITED WAY EFFORT CALLED "OPERATION READ," JANES BALLS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE APPRECIATE IT.
JERRY, YOU APPRECIATE IT IS HAPPENING. LAST WEEK YOU ANNOUNCED FUNDRAISING TOTAL,
SOME $4.8 MILLION RAISED IN THE QUAD CITY AREA.
FOR THE UNITED WAY WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? >> THAT MEANS, A, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS
TO GET DONE BECAUSE THAT MEANS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE QUAD CITIES ARE GIVING TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE CAN HELP KIDS GRADUATE, THAT WE CAN SEE THE WELLNESS OF OUR QUAD CITIES
GROW STRONGER, AND THAT WE CAN HELP FAMILIES MOVE FROM POVERTY INTO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE.
>>NOW, YOU HAD KIND OF A GOAL OF 8.8 MILLION THAT HAD BEEN MENTIONED, DIDN'T QUITE MAKE
THAT. WHEN YOU HAVE A $400,000 DEFICIT, WAS A THAT
HUGE DIFFERENCE OR WAS THAT A GOAL AND YOU CAN LIVE WITHIN 8.4, OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT
CUTS IN SOME AREAS? >> MULTI FACETED ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
OF COURSE, WE WANT TO MAKE $8.8 MILLION, BUT CONSIDERING WE HAVE A SLOWER ECONOMY GOING
ON WHERE IT WASN'T JUST TWO WEEKS AGO WE HEARD THAT EMPLOYMENT RATES HAVE BEEN LOWEST THEY
HAVE BEEN IN TEN YEARS, WHERE WE HAVE CERTAIN ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY WITH THE ARSENAL IN THE
PAST YEAR, IT BOLDENS US AND ENCOURAGES US TO KNOW WE WERE STILL AGE ABLE TO RAISE A
RECORD AMOUNT TWO YEARS IN A ROW. $8.4 MILLION.
>>IT IS AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF MONEY AND IT GOES TO 90 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
WHY DON'T WE TALK A MOMENT ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE IT IS A WIDE RANGE OF ORGANIZATIONS
THAT THE UNITED WAY DOES HELP OUT. >>THAT'S VERY, VERY TRUE.
THEY ALL YOU FALL UNDER CATEGORIES OF EDUCATION, INCOME, AND HEALTH.
EACH ORGANIZATION IS DOING SOME WORK TO MAKE IMPACTS IN THOSE AREAS.
SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. OF COURSE, WE ARE CONCERNED WE DIDN'T MAKE OUR GOAL, BUT
WE ARE STILL ABLE TO MAKE A VERY POSITIVE IMPACT WITH THOSE AGENCIES, VERY QUALITY AGENCIES.
>>JANE, WE ARE TALKING A LOT ABOUT RAISING MONEY, AND I WANTED TO SEGWAY NOT OTHER PART
OF UNITED WAY, AND THAT RAISING VOLUNTEERS, AS IT WERE.
>>YES. >>YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THE GROUP OPERATION
READ WHICH HAS A GREAT MISSION. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MISSION.
WELL, OPERATION READ IS DESIGNED TO HELP CHILDREN LEARN TO LOVE TO READ BECAUSE IF CHILDREN
LOVE TO READ, THEN THAT IS A LIFE LONG ASSET THAT IS GOING TO OPEN THEM TO ALL DIFFERENT
KINDS OF UNDERSTANDING OF LANGUAGE, OF PLACES, OF THERE ARE JUST THINGS THAT YOU GAIN FROM
BOOKS THAT YOU DON'T GAIN FROM TELEVISION OR VIDEO GAMES.
>>IT ABSOLUTELY OPENS UP YOUR WORLD. AND TALK ABOUT THIS, YOU ARE IN FOUR PRE SCHOOLS.
SO YOU ARE STARTING YOUNG. >>YES.
>>AS WELL AS TEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. >>THAT'S RIGHT.
>>WHAT DO THE VOLUNTEERS DO? >>WELL, THEY SIGN UP FOR A PARTICULAR MONTH.
SOME WILL ADOPT A SCHOOL FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. OTHERS WILL SAY, WELL, WE WILL DO SEPTEMBER
AT THIS SCHOOL, AND MARCH AT THIS OTHER ONE. AND THEY GO TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE AFTER SCHOOL
PROGRAMS OR THE PRE SCHOOLS SOME OF THEM ARE MORNING OPPORTUNITIES, SOME MORNINGS, SOME
AFTERNOON, AND THEY TAKE A STORY, A BOOK, READ IT TO THE CHILDREN.
TALK WITH THE KIDS ABOUT THE BOOK. DO SOME KIND OF AN ACTIVITY THAT IS FUN FOR
THEM. SO IT MIGHT BE A CRAFT PROJECT OR IT MIGHT
BE A GAME OR SOME MAKING SOMETHING, EATING SOMETHING.
ALL THAT HAS TO DO WITH HAVING FUN WITH READING AND INTERACTING WITH THE BOOKS.
AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR I AM SORRY, EACH MONTH, WE DISTRIBUTE BOOKS TO THE CHILDREN,
MAKE THEM AVAILABLE SO THEY CAN PICK A BOOK TO TAKE HOME.
THERE ARE FAMILIES THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE BOOKS IN THEIR HOME WHICH I FIND SORT OF APPALLING
THINKING ABOUT ALL THE SHELVES OF BOOKS THAT OUR KIDS HAD, ALWAYS READING, AND HOW MUCH
OF A DIFFERENCE IT MADE. THERE IS A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT THAT'S NOT
THE CASE. >>JERRY, WHEN YOU HEAR OF A PROGRAM LIKE THIS,
THIS MUST KIND OF WARM YOUR HEART. BECAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE UNITED WAY
IS TARGETING. AS YOU SAID, EDUCATION, ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS
OF THE UNITED WAY. THAT'S REALLY WHERE YOUR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN
LATELY, REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THE EDUCATION COMPONENT.
>>ABSOLUTELY. IT ALSO BRINGS IN THE FACT OF THIS IS A GREAT
EXAMPLE, UNITED. TOGETHER WE ARE FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN WE
ARE INDIVIDUALLY. THESE EFFORTS, SUCH AS OPERATION READ, MAKES
A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN GETTING KIDS READY FOR KINDERGARTEN.
IN ORDER TO GET READY TO BE A THIRD GRADE READING LEVEL WHEN THEY HIT THIRD GRADE, BECAUSE
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE THAT LEADS TO SUCCESS IN THEIR FURTHER SCHOOLING.
>>ARE THERE OTHER AREAS IN EDUCATION THAT THE UNITED WAY YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT THEY
ARE PROSPERING OR GROWING OR HELPING THE KIDS OF THE QUAD CITY COMMUNITY?
>> ABSOLUTELY. OUR KINDERGARTEN SKILLS INVENTORY.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THAT IS TO SURVEY 90 PLUS PERCENT OF THE TEACHERS IN THE COMMUNITY,
SERVING KIDS WHO ARE IN KINDERGARTEN AND ASK THEM WHAT ARE THE SKILLS THAT NEEDED FOR THEM
TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I SAY 90 PLUS PERCENT BECAUSE I AM INCREDIBLY
OVERWHELMED BY THE FACT THAT SO MUCH TEACHERS RESPONDED AND RESPONDED QUICKLY TO THIS.
SO NOW WHAT WE HAVE IS A TOOL. THE TEN THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR CHILDREN
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN. IT IS ON OUR WEB SITE AT UNITEDWAYQC.ORG.
THESE ARE VERY EASY SKILLS. WE ARE EXERCISES AND TOOLS THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE
SO THAT YOUR CHILD IS READY FOR THAT FIRST DAY ON THEIR ROAD TO SUCCESS IN SCHOOLING.
>>BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO GET ENTIRE FAMILY, THE PARENTS, EVEN OLDER BROTHERS AND
SISTERS, GET EVERYONE INVOLVED. >>ABSOLUTELY.
>>JANE, I THINK THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A SURVEY THAT KIND OF
GIVES YOU AN IDEA WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS. YOU DID THAT AS WELL, THERE WAS A SURVEY IN
REGARDS TO READING AMONG QUAD CITY KIDS, AND YOU WERE A LITTLE SURPRISED BY THE RESULTS
OF THAT AS WELL AS FAR AS HOW MANY KIDS BELIEVE THAT READING FOR ENJOYMENT IS SOMETHING THEY
REALLY WANT TO PARTICIPATE. >>YES, THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S PART OF THE SEARCH
INSTITUTE DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECT SURVEY IN 2005, LOOKING AT HOW MANY OF THE 40 DEVELOPMENTAL
ASSETS DO QUAD CITY YOUTH HAVE, BOTH IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IN HIGH SCHOOL.
THE DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS ARE THINGS LIKE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS, BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS,
SUPPORT ON THE HOMEFRONT, EXPOSURE TO MUSIC AND ART AND SO FORTH.
THERE ARE ALSO INTERNAL ASSETS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH CERTAIN KINDS OF VALUES AND SOCIAL
SKILLS. READING FOR PLEASURE IS ONE OF THOSE.
THE MORE DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS A YOUNG PERSON HAS, THE MORE LIKELY THEY ARE TO SUCCEED IN
SCHOOL. READING FOR PLEASURE IS ONE THAT FEWER THAN
25%. >>ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN.
>>ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN IN THE QUAD CITIES. NOW WE HAVEN'T HAD A FOLLOW UP SURVEY.
IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO SEE IF ALL THESE VARIOUS EFFORTS THAT PEOPLE ARE DOING.
>>ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN READ FOR PLEASURE. >>READ FOR PLEASURE.
>>IS WHAT THE SURVEY SHOWED. >>THREE HOURS OR MORE PER WEEK.
THAT WAS THE STANDARD THAT THEY HAD. >>THOSE ARE FOR VERY YOUNG KIDS.
AND IF THEY ARE NOT ENJOYING READING, THEY SEE IT AS A CHORE.
>>THESE WERE JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THAT WERE SURVEYED, AND DO THEY READ FOR PLEASURE.
ABOUT ONE IN FOUR WOULD READ AT LEAST THREE HOURS A WEEK.
>>IF YOU SEE WHAT YOU ARE DOING, THE KEY TO GET THEM YOUNG, REEL THEM IN TO READING.
>>THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PROGRAM,
REEL THEM INTO READING. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PROGRAM.
>>I AM CLEVER THAT WAY IN SOME WAYS. JERRY, YOU MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF FUNDRAISING
GOAL WHEN YOU WERE AT HAND IN HAND, A GREAT GROUP, A PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN
AND YOUNG ADULTS. TELL ME HAD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, AND WHY
DID YOU PICK THAT PLACE IN PARTICULAR. >>TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THERE ARE SEVERAL
SPECIAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE QUAD CITIES AND TRYING TO PICK ONE IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
BUT CONSIDERING THE PROXIMITY TO WHERE WE WERE AT THE TIME AND THE FACT THEY DO PHENOMENAL
WORK AND IT BECAME A QUICK AND EASY PICK FOR US, WE HAVE DONE DAY OF CARING IN THE QUAD
CITIES FOR I COULDN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY YEARS. BUT EVERY YEAR THAT ORGANIZATION IS COMING
FORTHWITH GREAT PROJECTS TO FURTHER THEIR MISSION SO THEY CAN HAVE STRONGER IMPACT WITH
THE POPULATION THEY WERE SERVING. IT IS A NATURAL PICKING AND NOT MEANT TO SLIGHT
ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION, BUT CERTAINLY MAKES IMPACT WHEN YOU CAN HIGHLIGHT SUCH A SPECIAL
ORGANIZATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. >>I WAS GOING TO SAY HIGHLIGHTING JUST ONE
ORGANIZATION IS KIND OF A NICE FEATURE BECAUSE IT SHINES A LIGHT ON THEM AND HELPS THEM IN
MORE THAN JUST ONE WAY. >>ABSOLUTELY.
IF PEOPLE ARE MORE AWARE OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE AFFLICTING THAT SPECIAL POPULATION AND
THE VERY INSPIRATIONAL SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, IT IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BRING MORE RESOURCES
TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. SO HOPEFULLY, IT SHINES A LIGHT ON THEM THAT
BENEFITS ALL THE POPULATION, BUT IT ALSO SHINES A LIGHT IN HELPING UNITED WAY HAVING IMPACT
EDUCATION AND INCOME ACROSS THE QUAD CITIES AS WE ARE STRIVING TO SEE EVERY CHILD GRADUATE
HIGH SCHOOL. WE ARE STRIVING TO SEE EVERY PERSON LIVING
A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND SEEING EVERY FAMILY RISE UP OUT OF POVERTY.
>>ALL RIGHT, JANE, GIVE YOUR BEST PITCH. LIKE YOU SAY, VOLUNTEERS ARE MAKING YOUR EFFORT
AT OPERATION READ MORE SUCCESSFUL. HOW DO YOU VOLUNTEER IF SOMEBODY IS INTERESTED?
>>IF THEY INTERESTED AND WANT TO GET A LITTLE KID FIX, IT IS ONLY TO BE INVOLVED FOR A MONTH
INVOLVES A LITTLE BIT OF PREPARATION, AND THEN AN HOUR A WEEK, MAYBE AN HOUR AND A HALF
WITH TRANSPORTATION OF READING TO THEM. THEY COULD GET IN TOUCH WITH THE UNITED WAY OFFICE,
AND THEY COULD PUT PEOPLE IN TOUCH WITH LESLIE COOK WHO MANAGES.
>>TAKES CARE OF THE PROGRAM. >>TAKES CARE OF THE PROGRAM.
AND SHE COULD SAY HERE ARE THE SLOTS AVAILABLE THIS MONTH AT THIS SCHOOL, AND THIS OTHER
MONTH AT THIS OTHER SCHOOL. >>JERRY, WHAT IS YOUR NEXT BIG EVENT?
DAY OF CARING, THAT WAS HUGE. WHAT IS THE NEXT BIG THING COMING UP? >>FOR
THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW WE ARE GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME THANKING THE COMMUNITY, THANKING
THE VOLUNTEERS WILL BE THE NEXT BIGGEST EVENT. ONCE WE END A CAMPAIGN, WE START PLANNING
THE NEXT CAMPAIGN. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON AS WELL.
>>WHEN YOU SAY LIVE UNITED, I KNOW I MENTIONED IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY UNDERLINED
DURING THE FOUR MONTHS OF THE CAMPAIGN. I AM SURE WINCED A LITTLE BIT AT THAT, BECAUSE
YOU BELIEVE IT IS A 12 MONTH EFFORT. >>ABSOLUTELY.
FOLKS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO DONATE TO THE UNITED WAY AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF THE YEAR.
>>JERRY JONES, JANE BALLS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORTS
YOU DO, VOLUNTEERING AND HELPING THE COMMUNITY. WQPT IS TAKING PART OF AN 18 MONTH LONG MISSION
TO INFORM THE GROWING MILITARY POPULATION OF THE CITY'S EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
TO THEM. ON TUESDAY, WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY IN
MACOMB IS TAKING PART OF STATE WIDE EFFORT FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN ONCE
THEY DO LEAVE THE MILITARY. IT IS CALLED "VETERANS STRATEGIC ASSETS INITIATIVE"
IT IS SET FOR THIS TUESDAY AT WESTERN. >>AND WE ARE NOW ENTERING OUR ANNUAL SPRING
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE. THERE WILL BE NEW MUSIC SPECIALS AND INFORMATIONAL
PROGRAMS YOU WILL SEE HERE. IF YOU ARE ALREADY A MEMBER OF WQPT, THANK
YOU. IF YOU ARE NOT, CONSIDER MAKING A COMMITMENT
TO YOUR ONLY LOCAL PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION, WQPT.
YOU CAN DO IT BY CALLING THE NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR TV SCREEN, OR LOG ON TO WQPT.ORG.
1 800 796 2430 OR WQPT.ORG. ON THE AIR, ON THE RADIO, ON THE WEB, AND
ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE, THANKS FOR TAKING SOME TIME TO JOIN US AS WE TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES
ON "THE CITIES."