Black Friday

10 Reasons to Shop Local Today!
Posted 28 November 2008
We all know how fun it is to shop in Iowa's larger cities, through catalogs or online, but there’s more to it.

Ten reasons why you should try to shop locally first:

1. Protect Local Character and Prosperity

Choosing to support locally owned businesses, you help maintain your community's diversity and distinctive flavor.

2. Community Well-Being
Locally-owned businesses build strong neighborhoods by sustaining communities, linking neighbors, and by contributing more to local causes.

3. Local Decision Making
Local ownership means that important decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions.

4. Keeping Dollars in the Local Economy
Your dollars spent in locally-owned businesses have three times the impact on your community as dollars spent at national chains. When shopping locally, you simultaneously create jobs, fund more city services through sales tax, invest in neighborhood improvement and promote community development.

5. Job and Wages
Locally owned businesses create more jobs locally and, in some sectors, provide better wages and benefits than chains do.

6. Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship fuels America’s economic innovation and prosperity, and serves as a key means for families to move out of low-wage jobs and into the middle class.

7. Public Benefits and Costs
Local stores require comparatively little infrastructure and make more efficient use of public services relative to big box stores and strip shopping malls.

8. Environmental Sustainability
Local stores help to sustain vibrant, compact, walkable downtown shopping areas-which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution.

9. Competition
A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term.

10. Product Diversity
A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based, not on a national sales plan, but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.

Lighted Holiday Train to Make
NE Iowa Stops

Posted 25 November 2008
Now in its tenth year, Canadian Pacific's brightly decorated Holiday Train will once again collect food and money for local food banks, raise awareness in the fight against hunger.

Starting at the end of November, communities throughout Canada and the United States will rally together and celebrate the holiday season with the Holiday Train.

This year's entertainers and musicians include Shaun Verreault, singer/guitarist/song-writer for blues-rockers and Canadian live favourites Wide Mouth Mason, and Juno award-winning singer and songwriter Melanie Doane.
 
"The Holiday Train is North America's largest rolling fundraiser and a cherished tradition for our employees and the communities where we operate," said CP President and CEO Fred Green. "Since 1999, the Holiday Train program has helped to raise more than 3.56 million dollars and 1.8 million pounds of food and this year's celebration will help those totals rise."

At each event, Canadian Pacific provides the train, a box car stage, a line up of great music talent and a corporate contribution to the local food bank. The community, in turn, is encouraged to donate foods or funds, all of which stays in their community. 

Holiday Train Schedule
In the U.S. Midwest, the Holiday Train will embark on its journey beginning on Friday, Dec. 5, in Pingree Grove, Illinois.  Local Iowa stops will occur on Saturday Dec. 6.

Saturday, December 6

Bellevue – 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. – Horizon Lanes & Hall parking lot on 970 North Riverview Street
Dubuque – 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. – TBA
Guttenberg – 3:15 to 3:45 p.m. – Schiller Street Railway Crossing between South 4th St. & South 2nd St
Marquette – 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. – Riverfront Marina
Lansing – 7:30 to 8:00 p.m. – Ball Park Field on North Front Street
All times are approximate.  Please check the arrival time prior to attending the event as this schedule is subject to change. Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early.


Do remember to bring a non-perishable food item or cash donation for your local food pantry!

Canadian Pacific is proud to be a part of the Annual Holiday Train event as well as the official rail freight services provider for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

For additional information about the Holiday Trains or Canadian Pacific click here.
 
(Photos and logo courtesy of the Canadian Pacific website)

Holiday Walk Dec. 4 at Osborne

Posted 24 November 2008
Reservations are required for an upcoming Holiday Walk planned for Thursday, Dec. 4, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Osborne Park. The fee is a bag of seed for the birds.

Take a walk through the Osborne Nature Center's Native Wildlife Exhibit on a winter night and learn how each animal survives Iowa’s winter months.  Walks will start at 6 p.m. and leave every 15 minutes, with the last walk leaving at 7:15 p.m.  The walk is approximately 45 minutes long. 

Put on your boots and mittens and enjoy a chilly December night with neighbors and friends as Osborne celebrates the holiday season with our Annual Holiday Walk. A candle-lit path through the forest leads participants to five enchanted creatures dressed up for the holidays.  After the hike enjoy homemade cookies, hot cocoa and Christmas music by the Madrigal Choir of Central High School. 

Reservations are required for this event. Please call 563-245-1516 for more information. 

Osborne Nature Center is located along Highway 13 just south of Elkader.

Submit Info for Holiday Church Directory

Posted 22 November 2008
Guttenberg 24/7 is pleased to announce a new service!!

A directory of Christmas Services and Programs will be posted online by Guttenberg 24/7.

This is a great way to let folks know when services are.  Let those travelling to the area know that they can use our site to coordinate their plans!

Churches in the Clayton County area may submit a schedule of events.

Please include denomination, church name, address, contact person and phone number, and service times and dates.

Submit information to Lori Scovel, 24/7 Online News Network Director at lori@jjcmedia.com or use our handy submit page here.

Share your information today as our special holiday services page will go live soon!


UMGC to Award Annual Grants
Posted 10 November 2008
Executive Director of the Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation Sindee Gohde has announced that the UMGC will be going to a once a year granting period.

This information was made public at the 2008 Fall Grant Awards night held recently on Oct. 27.

Grant award applications will now be due in the office by the last business day of August each year. A Grant Review meeting will be held the fourth Monday in September.

Awards will be presented at a Grant Award Night, generally scheduled for the fourth Monday in October. Those receiving funding will have one year to complete their project. Grant audit forms must be completed and returned to UMGC by Nov. 1st of the following year.

The Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation is a non-profit organization that grants money to other non-profits to encourage economic development, community betterment, improved cultural and recreational activity facilities, programs or activities that foster enhanced educational experiences for our youth, or improve the overall quality of life for residents of Clayton County.

For more information about UMGC or the granting changes you may phone 563-873-2102 or e-mail Sindee Gohde at umgcgrants@alpinecom.net

The Information Source for Guttenberg