New Business

Our Ace Hardware store is expanding. They have purchased a corner lot right where you turn into town at the stop lights. It is going to be very large and carry a great many more items than they do now. It will save us a 25 mile trip to a larger town to get a great many things. It will sure be good for the town. They have a nice store now but this one will be double the size. It is fun to watch the building going up. They should have it up before the snow flies.

Gun Manufacturer Moves to Iowa

An Illinois gun maker is planning to move to Iowa after the LeClaire City Council agreed to sell city-owned land to the company. The council approved the sale of the land for $10,000. The company decided to move after Illinois lawmakers proposed a ban on the sales, distribution and manufacture of semiautomatic weapons. They hope to move into the one story steel building by November. The move will create 14 jobs initially with a total of at least 18 jobs by 2010. The president of the local Chamber of Commerce said the custom firearms company will help strengthen the city's manufacturing base. We welcome new businesses and manufacturing here. The Council also voted to give the company $150,000 in tax increment financing.