94 TODAY...NO RAIN.

DOUG OWEN, MANAGER OF THE MAQUOKETA MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITY TOLD HIS BOARD THIS WEEK THAT HE IS STILL LOOKING FOR A DISTRIBUTION SUPERINTENDENT. APPLICATION DEADLINE IS AUGUST 23. TOM ALLEN LEFT THE JOB LATE LAST YEAR AND IN THE MEANTIME, DAVE OLSON AND DAN CLARK HAVE BEEN FILLING IN, BUT BOTH SAY THEY DON'T WANT THE JOB PERMANENTLY. OWEN SAID THE POSITION IS VERY SPECIALIZED AND HE IS HAVING A HARD TIME FILLING IT. HE SAID HE'S TALKED TO OTHER UTILITY MANAGERS AND THEY SAY THERE MAY BE A SHORTAGE OF LINEMEN AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEEERS IN THE FUTURE.

THE MAQUOKETA CITY COUNCIL IS CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC FLOW LATER THIS YEAR ON WEST PLATT WHEN THE NEW SUPERMARKET AND HARDWARE STORE OPENS. THEY ARE THINKING OF DOING A TRAFFIC SURVEY OR STUDY THIS FALL.

SOME OF YOU ATTEND SUNSHINE PRE-SCHOOL AND DAYCARE IN THE PAST? NEW AT SUNSHINE THIS FALL....PIANO LESSONS....AN EXERCISE CLASS....
SPANISH LESSONS....AND OTHER ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS.

THE MAQUOKETA ARC COMMITTEE MET THIS WEEK AND WILL BE RECOMMENDING A FLOOR PLAN TO THE MAQUOKETA CITY COUNCIL, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE AN INDOOR POOL AND GMNNASIUM. (A NEW GYMNASIUM FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL IS ALSO ON THE "WANTS" LIST.)
THE $3.8 MILLION PLAN MJST BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL AND THE SITE FOR THE ARC WOULD BE ON CITY LAND ACROSS FROM THE CEMETERY, AND JUST WEST OF MAQUOKETA'S INDUSTRIAL PARK. JIM GERONZIN AND MARGO SHOUSE WERE VOTED AS NEW CO-CHAIRMEN FOR THE ARC COMMITTEEAND GENI NIESS REMAINS AS SECRETARY.

JACKSON COUNTY'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN JULY WAS DOWN TO 6.5 PERCENT, FROM 6.8 IN JUNE. A YEAR AGO JULY, IT WAS 5.5. THE STATE OF IOWA RATE IS 4.6, UP FROM 4.2 IN JUNE.

A THEFT FROM THE HOSPITAL BUILDING SITE, OF $150 WORTH OF CORDLESS BATTERIES IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE MAQUOKETA POLICE DEPARTMENT.

JOEL AND KATHLEEN GAVIN ARE PARENTS OF A BOY BORN LAST FRIDAY AT THE GREAT RIVER MEDICAL CENTER IN WEST BURLINGTON. GRANDPARENTS ARE JACK AND BEATRICE GAVIN OF MAQUOEKTA.

JOEL AND CYNDI GOHLMAN OF WARRENGTON, VA. ARE PARENTS OF A BOY BORN THIS PAST TUESDAY. GRANDPARENTS ARE LUJEAN GOSEK OF NAZARETH, PA. AND GALYN GOHLMANN OF GRINNELL, IOWA, BOTH FORMERLY OF MAQUOEKTA. GREAT GRANDPARENTS ARE DURWARD AND IRENE GOHLMAN AND WILLIS AND MARIAN BRAMER, ALL OF MAQUOKETA.

GENEVIEVE BASSLER, 78, OF DUBUQUE, FORMERLY OF OTTER CREEK, DIED THURSDAY AT HER HOME. SHE AND HUBAND GENE FARMED IN RURAL MAQUOKETA FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL MOVING TO DUBUQUE FIVE YEARS AGO. SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND, GENE, AND 12 CHILDREN, INCLUDING BRUCE, AND STEVE BASSLER OF MAQUOKETA.

BENNIE SWANSON, AGE 93, DIED YESTERDAY AT WESTWING PLACE IN DEWITT. HE WAS A LONGTIME AND WELL KNOWN CATTLE FEEDER.
SURVIVORS INCLUDE A SON, PETER, OF MAQUOKETA.

THE CALAMUS-WHEATLAND SCHOOLS OPEN THE NEW YEAR MONDAY, THE FIRST IN THE AREA. MAQUOKETA STARTS THE NEW YEAR NEXT THURSDAY.

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.

DENNIS VOY