26 DEGREES EARLY THIS MORNING.....THAT......IS COLD FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. SUNNY THIS MORNING AND HIGH AROUND 50 EXPECTED TODAY. A GOOD CHANCE FOR RAIN TOMORROW.

DR. CLIFFORD RASK, SEMI-RETIRED, AND HIS WIFE CAROL, ARE LEAVING THIS WEEK FOR A "SEVERAL WEEK" MISSION TRIP TO GUYANA, SOUTH AMERICA. THEY WILL JOIN 20 PEOPLE FROM SEVERAL AREA STATES TO PROVIDE MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ALONG WITH BIBLE STUDY AT THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN GUYANA. GUYANA IS THE ONLY ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRY IN SOUTH AMERICA AND IS THE SECOND POOREST COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.

A MAQUOKETA POLICE OFFICER DID NOT COMMITT SUICIDE, AS WAS MENTIONED IN THE KMAQ GUEST BOOK.
THERE WAS AN INCIDENT AT A HOME A POLICE OFFICER LIVED-IN ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND THAT APPARENTLY LEAD TO THE MISUNDERSTANDING.

ON THE POLICE BLOTTER, SHAWNA AKER REPORTED TO THE POLICE THAT TIRES ON HER 1994 PONTIAC WERE SLASHED WHILE SHE WAS AT TIMER LANES TUESDAY NIGHT. BLAKE ROCKWELL REPORTED HIS TIRES WERE SLASHED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WHILE PARKED AT THE MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL.

IN COURT NEWS, DAVID STREETS, SR., AGE 43, OF MAQUOKETA, WAS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL MISCHIEF IN THE 5TH DEGREE FOR BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD OF JANET STREETS SUNDAY NIGHT ON SOUTH MATTESON STREET IN MAQUOKETA. ALSO, JEREMY DEMOSS OF MAQUOKETA WAS CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC ABUSE AND DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED. HE HIT ANGELA HOOVER IN THE EYE AND PUSHED HER TO THE GROUND MONDAY NIGHT ON WEST GROVE STREET.

A MAQUOKETA MAN, GRANT WHITE, AGE 55, WAS HELD OVERNIGHT IN JAIL ON THREE SEPARATE THEFT CHARGES, IN CONNECTION WITH ALLEGEDLY TAKING MONEY FOR CONSTRUCTION WORK THAT WAS NOT COMPLETED. ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION FILED BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, WHITE ACCEPTED MONEY FROM THREE PEOPLE TO BUY SIDING AND BUILDING MATERIALS, BUT DIDN'T PURCHASE THE ITEMS OR RETURN THE MONEY. THE AMOUNT CAME TO NEARLY $10,000. HE WAS RELEASED ON BOND BY MAGISTRATE RON BESCH.

CHARGES OF THEFT IN THE 2ND DEGREE WERE DISMISSED AGAINST BRUCE KEMP, AGE 39, OF MAQUOKETA, BECAUSE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SAID RESTITUTION HAS BEEN PAID. HE WORKED AT B & C LIQUOR IN MAQUOKETA AS A CLERK FROM SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR UNTIL JUNE OF THIS YEAR AND DURING THAT TIME, HE TOOK $7,425 FROM THE BUSINESS.

TWO CHARGES OF ASSISTING WITH A JAIL ESCAPE WERE DISMISSED AGAINST BRENDA WARD, AGE 20, OF MAQUOKETA BECAUSE OF LACK OF EVIDENCE. JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTIES SAID SHE ASSISTED PAUL WEIDNER AND MICHAEL MELLOY ESCAPTE THE COUNTY JAIL EXERCISE AREA ON AUGUST34D.

SEN. JOHN KERRY HAD TO CANCEL HIS PLANS TO BE AT A FUNDRAISER IN MAQUOKETA FOR SEN. ROGER STEWART OF MAQUOKETA TONIGHT. HE HAS TO BE IN WASHINGTON D.C. FOR AN IMPORTANT SENATE VOTE.

BETTY HOVEY, AGE 77, OF MAQUOKETA DIED LAST SATURDAY AT HER HOME. SHE WORKED AT THE OLD FISHING TACKLE COMAPANY IN MAQUOKETA OVER 50 YEARS AGO AND ALSO WORKED AT MANNING NUJRSING HOME. NO LOCAL SURVIVORS.

DR. BROMAN IS BACK IN THE DUBUQUE HOSPITAL AFTER SPENDING A FEW DAYS OUT IN IOWA CITY.

STOCK CAR RACING IS OVER FOR THE SEASON IN MAQUOKETA.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW...TAKE IT EASY.

DENNIS VOY