BEAUTIFUL DAY TODAY....HIGH OF 80.
AT AROUND 8:30 THIS MORNING, THE MAQUOKETA FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED WITH 19 FIREFIGHTERS TO A HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT AT THE REAR OF
THE MELLING CYLINDER SLEEVE COMPANY LEASED BY PLASTICS UNLIMITED OF PRESTON. A LID HAS BLOWN OFF A BARREL OF AN UNKNOWN PRODUCT AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE CONTAINER. THERE WAS A STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR.
DUE TO THE SUBSTANCE BEING UNKNOWN, THE DAVENPORT HAZARDOUS MATERIAL TEAM WAS CALLED IN TO ASSIST. PERSONNEL FROM PLASTICS UNLIMITED
CAME TO THE SCENE AND SAID THE BARRELLS HAD BEEN ON SITE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND CONTAINED RESIDUE FROM A FIRE AT THEIR PLANT AND WAS
BEING STORED UNTIL AN INSURANCE SETTLEMENT COULD BE REACHED.
CREWS MINIMIZED THE HAZARD WITH ABSORBENT MATERIAL AND THE AREA WAS CLEARED AFTER ABOUT 4 HOURS.
THE RATES AT THE HOSPITAL IN MAQUOKETA WILL BE INCREASED BY 3.5 PERCENT BEGINNING JULY 1. THE RESULT WILL BE AN INCREASE OF $140,000 IN REVENUE.
COMMERCIAL INSURANCE INCREASES ARE ONE REASON FOR THE RATE INCREASE. AND, NOT ENOUGH REVENUE IS RECEIVED BY THE HOSPITAL FROM MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.
ALSO THIS WEEK, THE HOSPITAL PURCHASED TWO AMBULANCES TO REPLACE
TWO OLDER ONES. SOME GRANT MONEY WAS RECEIVED FOR THE PURCHASE.
THEY ARE GETTING TWO BETTER RIGS (NOT NEW) FOR THE PRICE OF ONE NEW
AMBULANCE. TOTAL COST, $175,809.
AND THE HOSPITAL IS GETTING CLOSE TO FINDING A NEW SURGEON, AND
MEDICAL ASSOCIATES IN MAQUOKETA IS TALKING WITH AN OB DOCTOR CANDIDATE
TO COME TO MAQUOKETA. BOTH ARE VERY MUCH NEEDED IN MAQUOKETA.
THE MAQUOKETA HOSPITAL SURGEON IS RETIRING AND THE OB DOCTOR HAS
ALREADY RETIRED.
ENJOY THE NICE WEATHER AND COME BACK TOMOROW.
DENNIS VOY
