A BRIGHT AND SHINY DAY-AFTER CHRISTMAS....BEAUTIFUL DAY IN MAQUOKETA.
AND, WE HAVE A WHITE CHRISTMAS. SNOW FELL LATE CHRISTMAS EVE, SOME CHRISTMAS DAY, AND SOME LAST NIGHT...AND WE HAVE AROUND AN INCH OF SNOW ON THE GROUND TODAY. AND IT IS STARTING TO MELT ALREADY WITH THE TEMPERATURE IN THE 20'S AND THE SUN SHINING.

SNOW PLOWS WERE OUT, MOSTLY FOR SANDING INTERSECTIONS. I DID SOME SHOVELING AT KMAQ, HOME, AND GRANDMA MEYERS. LARRY MCCOY DOES THE
THEATRE. SPEAKING OF THEATRE....NANCY, I AND GRANDAUGHTER SARA WENT TO SEE "MEET THE FOCKERS" LAST NIGHT. HILARIOUS! YOU KNOW, I VERY SELDOM URGE YOU TO SEE A MOVIE, EVEN THOUGH MOVIES HAVE BEEN A BIG PART OF MY LIFE SINCE 1972. (RADIO SINCE 1958)...BUT, YOU MUST SEE THIS MOVIE!!!

IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND LIVE HERE AROUND MAQUOKETA, BE SURE TO DRIVE OUT ON HIGHWAY 64 EAST, JUST OUT A SHORT WAY, AND SEE THE BIG, FANTASTIC CHRISTMAS DISPLAY BY PAUL AND DIANE BRADY. I HAVE BEEN IN MAQUOKETA 46 YEARS, AND THIS IS THE FINEST DISPLAY MAQUOKETA HAS EVER HAD.

DAVE UPDEGRAFF OF DUBUQUE THIS PAST WEEK PASSED HIS CERTIFICATION TEST ADMINISTERED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCE INSTITUTE, AND HAS EARNED A SENIOR PROFESSIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE DESIGNATION. HE IS VICE-PRESIDENT AND CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICER AT MAQUOKETA STATE BANK AND ALSO FOR ITS HOLDING COMPANY, OHNWARD BANCSHARES, INC. DAVE, MARRIED AND THE FATHER OF TWO CHILDREN, IS A PAST-PRESIDENT OF THE MAQUOKETA ROTARY CLUB AND IS CURRENTLY A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE SUNSHINE PRE-SCHOOL AND DAYCARE CENTER IN MAQUOKETA. HE HAS BEEN WITH MAQUOKETA STATE BANK ADN OHNWARD FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS. CONGRATULATIONS FELLOW ROTARIAN AND FRIEND, DAVE UPDEGRAPH. IT WAS QUITE A GRIND ... THE COURSE STARTED MONTHS AGO, INVOLVED MUCH NIGHT STUDY AT HOME AND CLASSES IN THE QUAD CITIES, CAPPED OFF WITH A NEARLY 5 HOUR EXAM THAT MANY FAIL THE FIRST TIME...BUT NOT DAVE. HE NOW WEARS A LAPEL PIN SIGNIFIER OF THE HIGHEST ACHIEVEMENT POSSIBLE IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSION.

WANT TO COME BACK THIS SUMMER FOR THE JACKSON COUNTY FAIR? OF COURSE YOU KNOW...
IT WILL BE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER. THE DATES THIS YEAR: JULY 27-31, 05.

THE NEW COFFEE SHOP DOWNTOWN OPENS THIS WEEK. THE PAPER IS OFF THE FRONT WINDOW AND IT LOOKS VERY NICE INSIDE. MORE LATER.

ANOTHER NEW HOME IS GOING UP AT THE NEW GOLF COURSE AND IN FACT, THEY ARE WORKING ON IT TODAY. I HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE...MAQUOKETA HAS HAD AROUND 40 NEW HOME STARTS THIS YEAR.....A VERY GOOD NUNBER.

ATTENDED TWO CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES FRIDAY NIGHT...7 PM AT THE METHODIST CHURCH (FIRST TIME FOR ME THERE, AND IT WAS NICE) AND TO LUTHERAN SERVICE AT 11, ALSO VERY NICE. NEARLY FULL HOUSE AT BOTH. METHODIST ALSO HAD ONE AT 9 AND LUTHERANS ONE EARLIER AT 4 AND 6.
NANCY'S MOTHER BELONGS TO THE METHODIST CHURCH AND WENT ALONG WITH HER TO HER SERVICE THIS YEAR.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.

DENNIS VOY