NICE DAY TODAY....IN UPPER 40'S AND LOOKING FOR 50 PLUS TOMORROW AND THURSDAY, THANKSGIVING.
THE MAQUOKETA GIRLS ARE AT NORTH SCOTT TONIGHT TO KICK-OFF THE 2006-2007 BASKETBALL SEASON. THE BOYS HAVE THEIR FIRST GAME A WEEK FROM TONIGHT AT DUBUQUE WAHLERT. THE WRESTLER'S FIRST ACTION WILL BE AT THE INDEPENDENCE TOURNAMENT DECEMBER 2ND.
LAST SATURDAY, AN INFORMAL HOMECOMING CEREMONY WAS HELD IN CEDAR RAPIDS FOR ABOUT 20 SOLDIERS FROM COMPANIES A, B AND C OF THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD'S 234TH SIGNAL BATTALION, INCLUDING SPECIALIST LUCAS GORNEY OF MAQUOKETA. THE GROUP OF IOWANS WERE DEPLOYED IN JANUARY TO TIKRIT, IRAQ, SUPPORTING A TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD UNIT CHARGED WITH INSTALLING A COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM. THE GROUP, MADE UP OF MANY MEMBERS YOUNGER THAN 21, LAID 72 MILES OF FIBER-OPTIC CABLE AND INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED WIDE-AREA COMMUNICATIONS.
LONGTIME MAQUOKETA BUSINESSMAN AND PUBLIC SERVANT BEN JACOBSEN,
WAS RECENTLY INDUCED INTO THE JACKSON COUNTY MUSEUM HALL OF FAME.
HE SERVED TWO TERMS AS A COUNCILMAN AND SEVEN TERMS AS MAYOR, BEGINNING IN 1955. HE RAN HIS LAST PUBLIC CAMPAIGN IN 1977, SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH AT AGE 95. HE WAS A FIREMEN FOR 70 YEARS. HE OWNED RINGLEP HARDWARE, ON THE CORNER IN DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA UNTIL HIS DEATH. HE ADVERTISED HIS BUSINESS REGULARLY ON KMAQ AND I VISITED HIM ALMOST WEEKLY TO GET HIS NEW RADIO SPOT. WE WERE GOOD FRIENDS.
EVEN AFTER I DEFEATED HIM IN A MAYOR RACE IN 1969. IN FACT, HE HAD ME ON HIS LIST TO BE A PALLBEARER AT HIS FUNERAL. BUT, UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT HOME FOR HIS FUNERAL AS I WAS ON A LONDON TRIP AT THE TIME.
DECEMBER 14, 1969, WAS A SPECIAL DAY FOR HIM WHEN THAT DAY WAS DECLARED BEN JACOBSEN DAY IN MAQUOKETA.
THE MAQUOKETA SENTINEL-PRESS HAS A MITTEN TREE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO DONATE NEW CHILDREN'S MITTENS, GLOVES, HATS, SCARVES, SOCKS AND EAR MUFFS TO PLACE UNDER THE TREE FOR DISTRIBUTION
AFTER DECEMBER 12TH. THEY WILL BE DISTRIBUTING THE ITEMS THROUGH
THE MAQUOKETA COMMUNITY SERVICES CHRISTMAS STAR PROGRAM.
THE MAQUOKETA KIWANIS CLUB RECENTLY DONATED $250 TO THE MAQUOKETA COMMUNITY CUPBOARD, LOCATED IN THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
DON SCHWENKER, KIWANIS PRESIDENT, PRESENTED THE CHECK TO GARY EGGERS WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE LOCAL PANTRY. MONETARY DONATIONS ARE USED TO PURCHASE ITEMS THE CUPBOARD DOES NOT RECEIVE THROUGH DONATION OF FOOD. THE MAQUOKETA COMMUNITY CUPBOARD SERVED AROUND 72 TO 75 FAMILIES EACH WEEK THIS YEAR, REACHING A NEW HIGH OF 90 FAMILIES ONE WEEK IN OCTOBER. FOOD AND MONEY IS NEEDED ALL YEAR LONG, NOT JUST DURING THE HOLIDAYS. LIKE TO HELP OUT? SEND YOUR CHECK TO ME AND I WILL TAKE IT OUT TO THE CUPBOARD. MY MAILING ADDRESS IS BOX 940.
IN CASE I DON'T HAVE A REPORT TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY)...HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
DENNIS VOY
