Friday, August 20, 2010

HOT TODAY....86 PLUS HUMID...THEN THE RAIN CAME AT 4 P.M. MORE RAIN
TONIGHT, BUT LOOKING GOOD FOR SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WERE GIVEN AN OFFER TO BUY THE FORMER S & H BUILDING IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK. THE OFFER CAME FROM GARY DREW WHO WANTS TO MOVE HIS BIODIESEL PLANT TO THE SITE.
SUPERVISORS ACCEPTED THE SEALED OFFER BUT DID NOT OPEN IT AND SAID
THEY WOULD TALK TO THEIR COUNTY ATTORNEY FIRST. THE ISSUE
IS EXPECTED TO BE ON THE AGENDA OF THE SUPERVISORS NEXT TUESDAY.
TODAY, DREW SAID HE HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE SUPERVISORS. HE SAID
HE OFFERED MORE THAN $200,000 FOR THE BUILDING. HE SAID HE IS RUNNING
OUT OF ROOM AT HIS RURAL MAQUOKETA LOCATION. THE S & H BUILDING,
ZONED INDUSTRIAL, WAS DONATED TO THE COUNTY A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
DREW SAID HIS COMPANY IS GROWING AT A FAST PACE AND NOW HAS 5 EMPLOYEES.
HE SAID THE PLANT IS HIGHLY AUTOMATED AND SO IT DOES NOT REQUIRE
A LOT OF EMPLOYEES. DREW SAID THE SUPERVISORS HAVE HAD A LOT THROWN AT THEM WITH MOTHER NATURE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. HE SAID HE
THOUGHT THE MONEY FOR THE BUILDING MIGHT GIVE TEH SUPERVISORS
ANOTHER OPTION TO HELP SOLVE THE COST ISSUE TO REPAIR THE GREEN ISLAND
LEVEES.

THE FIRST MEETING WAS HELD YESTERDAY AND THE MAQUOKETA MUNICIPAL
ELECTRIC UNION EMPLOYEES ARE ASKING FOR A 5 PERCENT WAGE INCREASE.
THE MMEU BOARD OFFERED 1 PERCENT AND THE UNION TURNED DOWN THAT
OFFER. THE TWO SIDES WILL MEET AGAIN IN CLOSED SESSION SEPT. 29TH.'
THE UNION REPRESENTS 19 EMPLOYEES OF MMEU.'

KRISTA GRANT, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF OHNWARD BANCSHARES, INC.,
MAQUOKETA, DIED UNEXPECTEDLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOLLOWING A MAJOR
STROKE. SHE AND HER HUSBAND, GENE, LIVE AND FARM IN THE PRESTON
AREA WITH THEIR 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, MARTA. KRISTA IS THE DAUGHTER
OF EVELYN FAGERLAND, AND THE LATE JOHN FAGERLAND. SHE BEGAN WORKING AT THE MAQUOKETA STATE BANK IN 1984 DURING HER HIGH SCHOOL YEARS.
SHE GRADUATED FROM LUTHER COLLEGE AND WORKED AS A BANK EXAMINER
AFTER COLLEGE. SHE HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
IN BOTH PRESTON AND MAQUOKETA. FRIENDS MAY CALL MONDAY FROM 2 UNTIL 7 P.M. AT ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH IN PRESTON AND THE FUNERAL
SERVICE WILL BE AT 10:30 TUESDAY MORNING AT THE CHURCH. THE CARSON AND SON FUNERAL HOME IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS. SOON, THE
FULL OBITUARY WILL BE ON THE CARSON'S WEB SITE.

RITA KNOCK, AGE 85, OF DUBUQUE NURSING CENTER AND FORMERLY OF
MAQUOKETA, DIED WEDNESDAY AND GRAVESIDE SERVICES WILL BE
HELD TOMORROW AT 10 A.M. AT THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN BELLEVUE.
THE SIEGERT-CASPER COLONIAL FUNERAL HOME IN DUBUQUE IS IN CHARGE
OF ARRANGEMENTS.

LAMOTTE DID NOT HAVE FIREWORKS JULY 4TH BECAUSE OF RAIN AND
WILL SET THEM OFF TOMORROW NIGHT AT DARK. EVERYONE IS WELCOME
TO THE GREAT LITTLE JACKSON COUNTY TOWN 15 MILES NORTH OF MAQUOKETA.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND.

DENNIS VOY
THE KIDS AT CARDINAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE REALLY LIKING THEIR
NEW PLAYGROUND. YESTERDAY, THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, THEY HAD A RIBBON CUTTING AND PRINCIPAL JOAN BOLLMAN TOOK THE FIRST SLIDE DOWN THE CORKSCREW SLIDE. I TOOK THIS PHOTO DURING RECESS THIS MORNING. CLICK-ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT. CLICK-TWICE FOR
EVEN LARGER PHOTO. IF YOU CLICK TWICE, YOU MIGHT SEE WHAT I BELIEVE MAY BE THE "SENIOR" STAFF MEMBER, KINDERGARDEN TEACHER CINDY HEPKER.
MORE PHOTOS BELOW. I WALKED THROUGH THE SCHOOL TO GET TO PLAYGROUND AREA AND CARDINAL SCHOOL LOOKED GREAT. WE HAVE
GREAT BUILDINGS HERE IN MAQUOKETA FOR THE KIDS IN ALL GRADES.
DENNIS VOY
THE PLAYGROUND WAS CONSTRUCTED BY VOLUNTEERS STARTING IN JULY AND WAS FINISHED UP A COUPLE DAYS AGO. THERE ARE CLIMBING AREAS, BALANCING
PIECES, A COUPLE OF SLIDES AND SHOWN ABOVE, THE WAVE, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE A TEETER TOTTER. IT HOLDS NEARLY 20 KIDS AND IT IS FUN TO RIDE.
DENNIS VOY
THERE ARE LARGE BLACK TILES PLACED DOWN BENEATH THE PLAYGROUND TO
CUSHION FALLS.
DENNIS VOY
ABOUT $10,000 IS STILL NEEDED TO COMPLETE PAYING FOR THE PLAYGROUND
EQUIPMENT. THE OVERALL COST CAME IN A LITTLE HIGHER BECAUSE THEY HAD TO DIG THE CONCRETE SUPPORT POLES DEEPER BECAUSE OF SANDY SOIL.
$75,000 WAS CONTRIBUTED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD USING LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX REVENUE. NOW,YOU CAN STILL PURCHASE A TILE FOR $25 AND YOUR NAME WILL BE PUT ON A SIGN IN THE BACK OF THE BUILDING. ALSO, USED FOR
FINANCING IT, SCHOOL COOKBOOKS AND THEY ARE STILL ON SALE IN THE
CARDINAL OFFICE.
A GREAT NEW ADDITION TO CARDINAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
DENNIS VOY
EUCHRE NIGHT AT THE EAGLES CLUB....EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT FROM 7 TO 9.
THIS PHOTO TAKEN LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT. CLICK-ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT...CLICK TWICE AND IT GETS EVEN BIGGER.
DENNIS VOY