Friday, February 17, 2006

SUNNY AND COLD TODAY...HIGH OF 13. GOING BELOW ZERO TONIGHT.

MAQUOKETA BOYS HOST MAQUOKETA VALLEY IN NON-CONFERENCE BASKETBALL TONIGHT.
THE GIRLS PLAY A TOURNAMENT GAME TOMORROW NIGHT AT DUBUQUE WAHLERT.
FIVE MAQUOKETA WRESTLERS WILL BE IN THE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT TOMORROW AT MONTICELLO AND THE 1ST AND 2ND PLACE IN EACH WEIGHT CLASS GO ON TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT.

THE MELING SLEEVE COMPANY OF MAQUOKETA (ORGINALLY HOOF PRODUCTS, THEN DYNAGEAR) INFORMED EMPLOYEES EARLIER THIS MONTH THAT THE MAQUOKETA OPERATION WILL BE CUT FROM 35 TO 10 EMPLOYEES BY THE END OF MARCH. THOSE 10 WOULD REMAIN UNTIL AT LEAST JUNE. THE BUILDING THEY ARE IN IS FOR SALE. IT IS OVER 100,000 SQUARE FEET AND MELING COMPANY RENTS ABOUT A THIRD FOR THE COMPANY THAT MAKES PISTON CYLINDER FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR LINDA STURTZ SAID SHE IS WORKING WITH THE MICHIGAN COMPANY AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A SMALLER PLACE TO LOCATE IN MAQUOKETA, EITHER TO LEASE OR BUILD ON.
THERE ARE 3 OTHER BIG BUILDINGS EMPTY AND FOR SALE IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.
SOME GOOD INDUSTRY NEWS, THE GENERAC PLANT SOUTH OF MAQUOKETA IS UP TO ABOUT 100 EMPLOYEES, MAKING GENERATORS.
THE ADAC INDUSTRY RECENTLY LEASED THE NEXT DOOR HIDECO BUILDING FROM OWNER TOM PECKOSH. ADAC HAS BEEN EXPANDING ITS OPERATIONS.

THE GANNON CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH, A 40 YEAR OLD FIRM, SERVING JACKSON, CLINTON AND DUBUQUE COUNTIES, HAS HAD FINANCIAL PROBLEMS FOR SOME TIME AND ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK IT IS CEASING OPERATIONS IN DUBUQUE AND CLINTON COUNTY AND
PROBABLY ALSO JACKSON COUNTY. THE JACKSON COUNTY SUPERVIORS WILL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING MONDAY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT TO DO
ABOUT THE MATTER IN JACKSON COUNTY. GANNON CENTER IS LOCATED IN THE FORMER ROSENBERG AUTO SUPPLY BUILDING DOWNTOWN.
THERE ARE ABOUT 500 OPEN CASES IN JACKSON COUNTY.

HAZEL (MRS. WEAVER) CROUCH, 57, DIED SUDDENLY YESTERDAY AT HER HOME. HER COMPLETE OBITURARY IS AT www.carsonandson.com

JUDY (MRS. VINCE) KILBURG OF BELLEVUE, IS THE MAQUOKETA AND JACKSON COUNTY CONTACT PERSON FOR THE "MAKE A WISH" FOUNDATION. LAST WEEK, THE EASTERN IOWA CHAPTER HAD A VALENTINE GALA AT DUBUQUE'S GRAND RIVER CENTER. IF YOU EVER HAVE A NEED FOR "MAKE A WISH", CALL HER FOR MORE INFORMATION
AT 563-872-4447.

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.

DENNIS VOY