CLOUDY THIS MORNING....SUNNY THIS AFTERNOON...HIGH OF 35.
IN THE 40'S TOMORROW.

KENT HOFFMAN, 40, OF GALENA, HAS BEEN FOUND NOT GUILITY ON BOTH CHARGES RELATED TO THE DEATH OF JAMES SUTTON, 45, OF MAQUOKETA,
IN A BOATING ACCIDENT BACK ON SEPTEMER 1ST,  2011 AT DUBUQUE.
THE TRIAL LASTED 8 DAYS.      ALTHOUGH EVERYONE AGREES THAT HOFFMAN'S  BOAT LAUNCHED OVER SUTTON'S, THE EXACT LOCATION
OF THE ACCIDENT, HOFFMAN'S SPEED AND INTOXICATION LEVEL, AND WHETHER SUTTON'S STERN LIGHT WAS FUNCTIONING, WERE UNDER
SCRUTINY.

THE MAQUOKETA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION IS ASKING FOR A WAGE
INCREASE OF $1,850 TO THE BASE TEACHER SALARY FOR NEXT  YEAR,
WHICH WOULD INCREASE IT TO $28,319.   ALL OTHER TEACHER SALARIES
ARE BASED ON YEARS OF SERVICE, EDUCATION AND ARE A  PERCENTAGE
OF THE BASE PAY.      THIS REQUEST CAME LAST NIGHT AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND NOW THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL PRESENT ITS PROPOSAL AT 4:30 P.M. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE.

JUST AFTER 5:30 YESTERDAY AFTERNOON SHERIFF DEPUTY RUSS LONG
ATTEMPTED TO STOP A VEHICLE FOR A TRAFFIC VIOLATION THAT WAS
GOING WEST ON HIGHWAY 64, ABOUT 8 MILES EAST OF MAQUOKETA.
THE DRIVER WOULD NOT STOP.   A CHASE STARTED AND ENDED  UP
WITH THE MAN HITTING A DIFFERENT COUNTY SQUAD CAR AT THE EAST EDGE OF MAQUOKETA.    HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR EVAULATION,
THEN TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL IN AMES, NEAR WEST UNION WHERE HE LIVED.      SHERIFF RUSS KETTMAN SAID THE 68 YEAR MAN WAS TAKEN TO THE AMES HOSPITAL, NOT BECAUSE OF INJURIES FROM HE ACCIDENT, BUT FOR FURTHER EVALUATION.

TODAY, SHROVE TUESDAY AND HEADING NOW FOR SUPPER AT ST. MARK'S CHURCH, FOR THEIR ANNUAL SHROVE TUESDAY CHICKEN/DUMPLINGS SUPPER.
TOMORROW IS ASH WEDNESDAY.     I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT.

SLEEP WELL!   

DENNIS VOY