Miss Dowagiac scholarship goal set at $2,000

Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Committee set a $2,000 goal to award the 67th community queen who will be crowned Jan. 28, 2006, in the first pageant at the new middle school. “A Grand Fiesta” is the theme.

According to Deb Cuthbert and her daughter, Abby Johnson, Miss Dowagiac 1998, of the committee, reigning Miss Dowagiac Courtney Dufour received a $1,500 scholarship.

Her court, First Runner-up Katie Wright, got $600; Second Runner-up Keera Morton, $500; and the first Communications Winner Rose Middleton, $200.

These scholarships were issued to the colleges of their choice. Three selected Southwestern Michigan College.

Over the past six years, Dowagiac pageant royalty received $10,800.

In addition to a $2,000 scholarship for the new Miss Dowagiac, the committee wants to present $1,000 for first runner-up, $800 for second runner-up and $500 for the best platform speech.

Contributions can be sent to: Huntington National Bank-Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Fund, 205 Commercial St., Dowagiac, MI 49047-1408.

Donors will be recognized in the pageant program by the following levels of support: $25, bronze crown; $50, silver crown; $100 to $500, gold crown; $500 to $1,000, diamond crown.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.