Friday, May 23, 2008

JUST OVER AN INCH OF RAIN TODAY. THEN THE SUN CAME OUT IN THE AFTERNOON AND IT IS NOW A NICE NIGHT FOR THE START OF THE LONG HOLILDAY WEEKEND.
WEATHER SHOULD BE PERFECT TOMORROW AND NOT BAD ALSO SUNDAY, WITH A HIGH IN THE 80'S. MIGHT GET SOME RAIN MONDAY.

MAQUOKETA CITY MANAGER BRIAN WAGNER SAID THIS WEEK THE DEVELOPER WHO IS PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN TO BRING A NATIONAL PHARMACY CHAIN TO DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA IS CLOSE TO FINALIZING THE PROJECT. THE NAME OF THE BUSINESS HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED. WAGNER SAID HE ANTICIPATED AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN EARLY JUNE AND PLANS CALL FOR THE DEVELOPER TO TEAR DOWN THE BURNED-OUT BUILIDINGS ON MAIN STREET, ALONG WITH THE OLD MITCHELL-MASKREY MILL. IN EXCHANGE FOR $375,000, THE CITY WOULD GIVE THE DEVELOPER THE PARKING LOT AND ALLEY ADJACENT TO THE BURNED-OUT BUILDINGS AND A PORTION OF THE FORMER D.O.T. SHOP ON EAST PLATT STREET. IN TURN, THE DEVELOPER WOULD GIVE PART OF THE OLD D.O.T. SHOP PROPERTY TO MITCHELL-MASKREY, WHOSE BUSINESS IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE D.O.T. PROPERTY. FOR SOME TIME NOW, MITCHELL-MASKREY HAS RUN THEIR BUSINESS FROM EAST PLATT STREET AND THE MILL DOWNTOWN WAS LITTLE USED BY THEM. THE CITY IS ALSO ASKING THAT PART OF THE
PHARMACY'S PARKING LOT BE AVAILABLE TO USE BY THE PUBLIC.

TWO DEATHS THIS MORNING IN MAQUOKETA. LONGTIME CITIZENS. GO TO
www.carsonandson.com

HAVE A GOOD HOLIDAY WEEKEND. DRIVE AND BOAT SAFELY.

DENNIS VOY
FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW, JIM AND DEB GERARDY HAVE BEEN PUTTING ON "LIVE" KARIOKE MUSIC SHOWS AT THE OHNWARD FINE ARTS CENTER, FEATURING LOCAL SINGERS ....AND THE SHOWS HAVE BEEN VERY POPULAR. JIM AND DEB GIVE "LOCALS" THE OPPORTUNITY TO SING ON THE BIG STAGE AT THE NEAT OHNWARD AUDITORIUM. THEY ALL HAVE TO AUDITION FOR THE SHOW. THE LAST SHOW WAS SATURDAY NIGHT, MAY 17TH. I WAS THERE, ENJOYED IT AND TOOK THIS PHOTO. THAT IS JIM IN THE BLACK HAT, TO THE LEFT. HE IS EMCEE FOR THE NIGHT AND ALSO SINGS A COUPLE SONGS. SO DOES DEB. SINGING TO THE RIGHT, IS MAQUOKETA POLICEMAN BRENDAN ZEIMET. GOOD SINGER! IN THE BACKGROUND, 8 MEMERS OF THE MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL DANCE TEAM. TWO ARE MACKIE AND COURTNEY MOORE, NANCY'S GRANDDAUGHTERS. I'LL HAVE A BETTER PICTURE OF ALL 8 NEXT WEEK AND MENTION ALL THEIR NAMES THEN. THANKS TO JIM AND DEB FOR PUTTING ON THESE SHOWS. THE SHOWS HELP PROVIDE SOME EXTRA REVENUE FOR THE OHNWARD CENTER AND THEY GIVE LOCAL TALENT A CHANCE TO HAVE A NIGHT ON STAGE.
DENNIS VOY