CLOUDY, BREEZY, WET DAY TODAY...HIGH 37.

DOTTIE BAYLES, WHO HAS BEEN A KMAQ SALES REP SINCE 1977, WENT TO
GEORGIA FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY TO CELEBRATE WITH HER
3 SISTERS AND THEIR HUSBANDS. DOTTIE TOLD ME BEFORE SHE WENT
THAT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME THAT ALL SEVEN WILL BE TOGETHER FOR CHRISTMAS. ONE SISTER AND HUSBAND LIVE IN GEORGIA. THE OTHER SISTER LIVES IN NEW MEXICO AND THE OTHER IN COLORADO. DOTTIE FLEW DOWN. THE COLORADO COUPLE DROVE, PICKING UP THE NEW MEXICO COUPLE. DOTTIE FLEW BACK TO CHICAGO YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND THE OTHER FOUR LEFT ABOUT THE SAME TIME FOR NEW MEXICO BY CAR. ON THEIR WAY THROUGH TEXAS, THEIR CAR ON SLIPPERY PAVEMENT, WENT OFF THE ROAD AND OVER TURNED. KILLED INSTANTLY IN THE SINGLE CAR
ACCIDENT WAS DOTTIE'S NEW MEXICO SISTER AND HER COLORADO
BROTHER-IN-LAW. DOTTIE'S COLORADO SISTER IS IN SERIOUS CONDITION
WITH BROKEN NECK AND BACK AND DOTTIE'S NEW MEXICO BROTHER-IN-LAW
RECEIVED VERY BAD, BUT NOT LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES. I'LL HAVE
AN UPDATE ON THE HOSPITALIZED NEXT WEEK. VERY SAD.

THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PLAN TO DO SOME REMODELING AND UPGRADING AT THE COURTHOUSE IN MAQUOKETA,
NEXT YEAR . NEEDS: NEW STEPS ON THE NORTH SIDE.
SMOKE DETECTION AND AIR-CONDITIONED IN THE COMPUTER ROOM
OF THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
ALSO, NEW FANS AND SEATING IN THE COURT ROOM.

BECAUSE OF NO SNOW IN DECEMBER, THE JACKSON COUNTY SECONDARY
ROADS DEPARTMENT HAS SAVED A LOT OF MONEY. OVER 4 MONTHS
LAST YEAR, $600,000 WAS SPENT.
THIS YEAR, IN DECEMBER, $150,000 WAS SAVED BECAUSE CREWS HAVE BEEN
OUT ONCE AND HAVE HARDLY USED ANY MATERIAL. LAST DECEMBER,
THEY USED 40% OF THE MATERIAL ON COUNTRY ROADS IN DECEMBER.
LAST YEAR, JACKSON COUNTY RECEIVED 28 INCHES OF SNOW ALL
WINTER WITH AROUND 12 INCHES ON THE GROUND IN LATE DECEMBER.

IT HAS BEEN A NICE DECEMBER! HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS PLACES
ALSO HAVE SAVED MONEY ON FUEL AND SNOW REMOVAL.

BUT, THERE ARE LOOSERS WITH THIS KIND OF WEATHER....FUEL DEALERS,
SNOW SHOVELERS, THOSE WHO SELL SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT,
CAR AND TRUCK BATTERIES, SKI RESORTS, SNOWMOBILE DEALERS,
AND MORE.

HAVE A SAFE AND FUN NEW YEAR'S EVE.
AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

DENNIS VOY