BEEN RAINING ALL DAY HERE IN MAQUOKETA.

AT LAST NIGHT'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MAYOR TOM MESSERLI SAID HE BELIEVES THE DOWNTOWN FIRE DEBRIS WILL BE CLEANED UP THIS FALL. AS IT STANDS NOW, BIDS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE SOUGHT SEPTEMBER 1ST WITH THE START OF CLEAN-UP NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 1ST.

AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING THIS MORNING, THE SUPERVISORS
APPROVED A REZONING FOR GARY DREW OF MAQUOKETA TO CONTINUE HIS
BIODIESEL FUEL PLANT IN RURAL MAQUOKETA. THE NEW ORDINANCE WILL CHANGE HIS 4.2 ACRES OF LAND OFF 233RD AVENUE FROM AGRICULTURE TO M-1 LIMITED INDUSTRIAL. THERE WILL BE AN EXPANSION OF HIS BUSINESS.
HE COLLECTS GREASE FROM RESTAURANTS AND CONVERTS IT TO BIODIESEL.

A NEW PRESIDENT HAS BEEN NAMED FOR THE JACKSON COUNTY HISTORICAL
SOCIETY TO REPLACE ASHER SCHROEDER OF MAQUOKETA WHO SERVED IN THAT POSITION FOR THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS, A TOTAL OF 12. THE NEW PRESIDENT IS MARY VORLAND OF PRESTON. SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY VICE-PRESIDENT. SHE IS AN ENGLISH AND SPEECH TEACHER AT PRESTON HIGH
SCHOOL.

McDONALDS IN MAQUOKETA HAS DONATED THEIR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
TO THE CITY. THE CITY VOTED TO ACCEPT IT LAST NIGHT.

THE PEACE PIPE PLAYERS HAVE PURCHASED THEIR OWN BUILDING. ACTUALLY, TWO. THE MAIN BUILDING AND ONE JUST BEHIND IT.... IN THE NORTHEAST SECTION OF MAQUOKETA. IT WAS A MUFFLER SHOP FOR MANY YEARS. THEY WILL USE IF FOR OFFICE AND STORAGE AND ALSO AS A PLACE TO REHEARSE PLAYS.
THEY HAVE BEEN RENTING A PLACE UP UNTIL NOW FOR THAT PURPOSE. THEIR NEXT BIG PRODUCTION, IN AUGUST, WILL BE THE MUSICAL "FOOTLOOSE".

I RAN INTO FORREST MILLER WHEN AT COFFEE THIS AFTERNOON AT McDONALDS.
BECAUSE OF SOME HEALTH CONCERNS, HE HAS SOLD ALL HIS HORSES AND WAGONS, AND HAS MOVED OFF THE FARM AND TO AN APARTMENT IN MAQUOKETA.
HIS HORSE AND WAGON RIDES HAVE BEEN POPULAR IN THE AREA FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

THE GREAT JONES COUNTY FAIR STARTS TOMORROW AT MONTICELLO.
AND KMAQ WILL BE THERE TO DO REMOTE BROADCASTS.

DENNIS VOY