THE SUN CAME OUT THIS AFTERNOON AND WE GOT UP TO 44.

MONDAY NIGHT, NORTHEAST OF GOOSE LAKE HIGH SCHOOL LOST ITS OPENING BOY'S STATE TOURNAMENT BASKETBALL GAME IN DES MOINES, BY QUITE A MARGIN.
AND TUESDAY NIGHT, DEWITT ALSO LOST ITS OPENING GAME BY AROUND 10 POINTS. KMAQ-FM BROADCAST BOTH GAMES.

BILL WEICK, HEAD WRESTLING COACH AT MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL IN THE
MID TO LATE 50'S, HAS BEEN ELECTED AS A DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME. I MET HIM AND BELIEVE HIS FINAL YEAR HERE IN MAQUOKETA WAS THE 1958-59 SCHOOL YEAR. YOU CAN READ THE FULL STORY ABOUT HIM AT www.sportsfeatures.com

CIGARETTE TAXES GO UP $1.00 A PACK IN IOWA. THE RAISE WAS SIGNED INTO LAW THIS MORNING BY GOVERNOR CULVER. IOWA STILL LOW COMPARED TO MANY OTHER STATES.

JACKSON COUNTY'S 2007-2008 BUDGET WAS APPROVED THIS WEEK, FOR
$13.9 MILLION DOLLARS. THERE WILL BE A 25-CENT PER $1,000 ASSESSED VALUATION INCREASE. SUPERVISORS CALL IT A BARE-BONES BUDGET, BUT DOES PROVIDE FOR SOME NEDED UPKEEP ON THE 1959 COURTHOUSE AND EMPLOYEE RAISES.

THE MAQUOKETA 2007-2008 BUDGET WAS ALSO APPROVED THIS WEEK BY THE CITY COUNCIL. IT WILL BE $10.3 MILLION DOLLARS AND THE TAX RATE WILL GO UP FROM $11.61 PER $1,000 ASSESSED VALUATION TO $11,96. IT INCLUDES TAKING $165,588 FROM RESERVES. IT INCLUDES THE RAISE FOR THE CITY MANAGER, WHO EARLIER HAD INDICATED HE WOULD NOT TAKE HIS RAISE IF THE BUDGET COULD NOT BE BALANCED. IT INCLUDES KEEPING THE 11TH POLICE OFFICER.

JACKSON COUNTY'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR JANUARY WAS UP TO 5.85 PERCENT, UP FROM 5 PERCENT IN DECEMBER.

MAQUOKETA POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A STOLEN VEHICLE. KIMBERLY STREEPER
SAID HER BROWN 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX WS STOLEN FROM THE PARKING LOT AT PACIFIC COAST FEATHER YESTERDAY MORNING. THERE IS A DENT IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE B ACK DOOR. THE KEYS HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE VEHICLE.

HAVE A GOOD THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY.

DENNIS VOY