IT'S COOL TODAY, WINDY AND MOSTLY CLOUDY...IN LOW 60'S.

AFTER 27 YEARS, COSTELLO'S OLD MILL ART GALLERY JUST EAST OF MAQUOKETA IS CLOSING ITS DOORS IN JANUARY, TO REOPEN IN THE SPRING AS COSTELLO'S OLD MILL RECEPTION HALL, FOR ALL SPECIAL OCCASSIONS. A GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE IS NOW UNDERWAY.
THE AD SAYS THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO OWN A PATRICK J. COSTELLO PRINT. PATRICK WILL CONTINUE TO PAINT, BUT WILL ONLY BE PAINTING/
SELLING ORIGINAL PAINTINGS.

THE MAQUOKETA VOLLEYBALL TEAM IS HAVING A BAD YEAR. LAST NIGHT, THEY HOSTED THEIR FINAL HOME MEET AND LOST TO WESTERN DUBUQUE, 3 TO 0.

GARY WILLISON VISTED MAQUOKETA FOR A FEW DAYS IN SEPTEMBER.
THE WILLISON FAMILY LEFT FOR OREGON BACK IN 1952 AFTER MANY YEARS IN MAQUOKETA. GARY MADE A VISIT HERE IN 1956 AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME HE WAS IN MAQUOKETA UNTIL IN SEPTEMBER, 50 YEARS LATER. HE'S RETIRED NOW FROM CONSTRUCTION AND VOLUNTEERS AT THE SPRUCE GOOSE MUSEUM IN OREGON, WHICH IS NEAR WHERE HE LIVES. ENJOYED A SHORT VISIT WITH HIM HERE IN MY OFFICE.
READS THIS REPORT WEEKLY TO KEEP UP WITH MAQUOKETA. IF YOU REMEMBER GARY OR HIS FAMILY, AND WANT TO EMAIL HIM, LET ME KNOW AND I'LL FORWARD HIS EMAIL. HE'S MARRIED, HAS A FAMILY AND HAS GOOD MEMORIES OF MAQUOKETA. OH YES, WE HAVE JACK WILLISON LIVING IN MAQUOKETA (RETIRED TOO) AND THEY (GARY AND JACK) ARE NOT RELATED.

GARY'S STORY WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT KMAQ GUEST BOOK ENTRY, WITH MORE INTERESTING DETAILS ABOUT HIS CAREER, FAMILY,
MAQUOKETA CONNECTION, THE SPRUCE GOOSE, ETC. MAYBE HE WILL MAKE AN ENTRY SOMETIME. AND MANY OF YOU OTHER FORMER MAQUOKETANS COULD SO THE SAME? HOPE SO! THAT'S WHAT THE GUEST BOOK IS FOR. AND YES, MANY OF YOU HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND NEED TO DO IT AGAIN FOR OUR NEW READERS SINCE THEN.

LIZ LECHTENBERG IS THE NEW OHNWARD FINE ARTS MANAGER, REPLACING STEVE SHEPHARD. HER HUSBAND IS MAQUOKETA DENTIST, JOE, JR. HER JOB IS TO KEEP THE 840 SEAT AUDITORIUM BUSY AND MANAGE DAILY AFFAIRS.

THE MAQUOKETA AIRPORT RUNWAY HAS A NEW CONCRETE OVERLAY....A NEARLY $1 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT, WITH MOST PAID FOR BY THE STATE. THEY POURED THE CONCRETE OVER THE OLD ASLPHALT SURFACE. THE AIR FREIGHT COMPANY OUT THERE EMPLOYS AROUND 5 PEOPLE AND WATCHES OVER THE AIRPORT FOR THE CITY. MORE IMPROVEMENTS ARE PLANNED.

THANKS FOR THE VISIT. GO CARDINALS....MAQUOKETA AND ST. LOUIS.

DENNIS VOY