SUNNY THIS MORNING...CLOUDY AND WINDY THIS AFTERNOON. 51 THE HIGH TODAY.

THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL HOST SOME MEETINGS WITH CITY OFFICIALS TO TALK ABOUT A PROPOSAL FOR A COUNTY-WIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. WAYNE FRANTZEN OF MAQUOKETA, JACKSON COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CHAIRMAN, SUGGESTED THE IDEA, SAYING WITH LINDA STURTZ LEAVING HER POSITION AS MAQUOKETA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO CONSIDER SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

FOR YEARS, I HAVE THOUGHT IT WOULD A GOOD IDEA TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE JACKSON COUNTY PUBLIC HOSPITAL AND TAKE THE WORD COUNTY OUT.
TODAY, AFTER WEEKS OF DISCUSSION AND STUDY, THE HOSPITAL HAS A NEW NAME.
IT WILL NOW BE CALLED THE JACKSON COUNTY REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER.
(YES... THE WORD COUNTY IS STILL IN THE NAME). THE BOARD VOTED IN THE NEW NAME AT THEIR MEETING LAST NIGHT. THE OLD NAME WILL REMAIN THE THE FACILITY'S LEGAL NAME AND A MARKETING PROJECT BEGINS ON MARCH 1ST.

FORMER MAQUOKETA RESIDENT VIRGINIA YOCUM CELEBRATES HER 90TH BIRTHDAY NOVEMBER 27TH. SHE NOW LIVES AT 437 GUILLEMONT STREET, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO 89526. LIVING NEAR HER SON BOB AND FAMILY. SHE AND LATE HUSBAND DUDLEY OWNED AND OPERATED THE WESTERN AUTO STORE IN MAQUOKETA FOR MANY YEARS. SHE WAS A GOOD KMAQ LISTENER AND I ALWAYS GOT NICE COMPLIMENTS FROM HER ABOUT THE STATION. I HAVE SENT HER A CARD AND HOPE SOME OF YOU WILL ALSO. BY THE WAY, SON JIM LIVES IN MASSACHUSETTS AND DAUGHTER MARGIE LIVES IN GEORGIA. SHEHAS THREE GRANDCHILDREN.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE AREA DROPPED IN OCTOBER. IN JACKSON COUNTY, THE RATE WENT DOWN TO 4.6 PERCENT. IT WAS 4.8 IN SEPTEMBER.

THE MAQUOKETA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY THEY WILL POSTPONE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SIDEWALK ON SOUTH 5TH STREET FORM SUMMIT TO WASHINGTON, UNTIL NEXT SPRING. ALSO, THE COUNCIL SET 5:30 P.M. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1ST AT MAQUOKETA CITY HALL TO HAVE THEIR GOAL SETTING FOR NEXT YEAR. FORMER CITY MANAGER PAT CALLAHAN, WHO IS NOW THE CITY MANAGER OF ANAMOSA, WILL HEAD UP THE DISCUSSION AND THE MEETING WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

COSTELLO'S OLD MILL GALLERY HAS A NICE NEW WEB SITE. THEY NEVER HAD ONE BEFORE. PICTURES OF PAT AND THE GALLERY, AND MANY OF HIS PAINTINGS, THAT CAN BE PURCHASED ON THE WEB SITE. LOOK IT UP AT www.patrickjcostello.com

THE OHNWARD FINE ARTS CENTER AUDITORIUM AND ART GALLERY HAS A PART TIME MANAGER WHO HAS BEEN ON THE JOB FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS. HE IS FROM DUBUQUE AND COMMUTES. HIS NAME IS STEVE SHEPHERD AND HE SPOKE TO ROTARY THIS NOON. HAS LOTS OF GOOD IDEAS AND IS VERY BUSY WORKING AT HIS TEMORARY OFFICE WHILE HIS NEW PERMANENT OFFICE IS BEING BUILDT AT THE CENTER. HIS OFFICE PHONE NUMBER IS 563-652-9815. HE SOLD A BUSINESS IN DUBUQUE AND WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING AND AFTER SEEING THE OHNWARD CENTER, LET IT BE KNOWN HE WOULD LIKE WORKING FOR IT. SO, HE WAS HIRED BY THE BOARD AND WORKS MOSTLY AFTERNOONS. HE IS ALSO A COUNTY MUSIC SINGER AND SONGWRITER AND GAVE ME HIS CD SO I COULD PLAY A SONG OR TWO ON KMAQ. HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO LISTEN YET. HIS WIFE TEACHES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE AND THEY HAVE A COUPLE MARRIED CHILDREN. THE CENTER IS GETTING ADDITIONAL BOOKINGS ALMOST DAILY.
HEALSO HAS LOTS OF "WANT" NEEDS. HE TOLD THE ROTARY A NEW MARQUE
IS ON TOP OF THE LIST.....BUT IT HAS A COST OF $20,000. HE HAS WRITTEN A COUPLE GRANTS TO HOPEFULLY GET MONEY FOR IT.

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING. GO AHEAD, EAT ALL THE TURKEY YOU WANT AND CUT BACK THE NEXT DAY. THAT'S WHAT I PLAN TO DO. AND HAPPY SHOPPING FRIDAY.

DENNIS VOY