HIGH TODAY, WITH SOME SUNSHINE...44....TOMORROW, MID 30'S. FRIDAY 50'S, BUT FOR FRIDAY ONLY.

RYAN AND NICOLE JOHNSON OF MAQUOKETA ARE PARENTS OF A BOY, BORN CHRISTMAS EVE, AT THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. GRANDPARENTS ARE NEIL AND DEB JOHNSON OF MAQUOKETA.

BRAD AND SUE CLARK OF CLIVE, IOWA ARE PARENTS OF A GIRL, BORN YESTERDAY. GRANDPARENTS ARE GARY AND NANCY CLARK OF MAQUOKETA. GREAT-GRANDFATHER IS BILL SAGERS OF MAQUOKETA.

IT WAS LEARNED TODAY THAT THE KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN RESTAURANT IN MAQUOKETA WILL CLOSE FOR GOOD TOMORROW AT REGULAR CLOSING TIME. FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, IT HAS BEEN OWNED BY THE WEAVER FAMILY OF PEORIA. THEY HAVE AROUND 30 KFC RESTAURANTS IN THE TRI-STATE AREA.
MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT DEAN TILTON AND I OWNED AND RAN IT FOR 20 YEARS, UNTIL SELLING IT TO THE WEAVERS. WE PURCHASED IT FROM TWO GENTLEMEN IN SAVANNA, ILLINOIS. WE HAD A MANAGER FOR THE RESTAURANT AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH HER IN RUNNING ONE OF THE TOP KFC RESTAURANTS IN THE MIDWEST. IF I MAY BRAG A LITTLE....WE WERE OFTEN AT THE TOP OR NEAR THE TOP OF THE LIST PUT OUT BY THE KFC ORGANIZATION. THIS WAS DETERMINED BY MYSTERY SHOPPERS THAT SHOPPED KFC RESTAURANTS EVERY MONTH. WHEN THE WEAVER CHAIN APPROACHED US ABOUT BUYING US OUT, WE DECIDED TWENTY YEARS WAS ENOUGH AND DECIDED TO SELL. THE PLAN , BY THE WEAVERS, WAS TO EVENTUALLY BUILD A NEW, LARGER KFC RESTAURANT AT A BETTER LOCATION IN MAQUOKETA. NOW, THEY HAVE DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT. THE BUILDING IS STILL OWNED BY DEAN AND I AND WE WILL LIST IT FOR SALE AFTER ALL THE EQUIPMENT IS TAKEN OUT IN JANUARY. IT PROBABLY WILL BE USED FOR A BUSINESS OTHER THAN A RESTAURANT. THE RESTAURANT HAS BEEN IN MAQUOKETA ABOUT 28 YEARS AND THAT'S WHY I'M SURE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WILL MISS IT. MY SON, DAVE , AND I WENT THERE FOR LUNCH TODAY AND DAVE TOOK A FEW DIGITAL PICTURES OF OUR LAST MEAL AT KFC. THE 4 PICTURES ARE UP NOW ON DENNIS' DAILY PHOTOS. GO TO THE KMAQ MAIN PAGE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM. www.kmaq.com AFTER TOMORROW, NO MORE "FINGER LICKIN' GOOD CHICKEN" FOR THE MANY LOCAL KFC FANS.

THE LATE KFC COLONEL WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED. WE ARE TOO.

THANKS FOR THE VISIT.

DENNIS VOY