SUNNY AGAIN TODAY, BUT COLER!

I WENT TO THE TUESDAY NOON-HOUR "BROWN BAG LUNCH" AT THE JACKSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM TODAY. THEY HAVE IT EVERY TUESDAY NOON AND THERE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 20 THERE TODAY. EVERYONE BRINGS THEIR OWN SANDWICH AND THE COFFEE AND TEA IS FURNISHED. JUNIOR PAPKE AND I WERE THE ONLY MEN. CURATOR BONNIE (WELLS) MITCHELL AS ALWAYS GAVE A SHORT HISTORY PROGRAM AND TODAY IT WAS ON HARVESTING THE MAQUOKETA RIVER IN THE WINTER, IN THE OLD DAYS. ONE OF THE GREATEST MAQUOKETA BUSINESSMEN OF THE LAST CENTURY, ED KIRCHOFF, GOT HIS START AT MAKING LOTS OF MONEY, AS OWNER OF THE MAQUOKETA ICE COMPANY, HARVESTING ICE ON THE MAQUOKETA RIVER. HIS DAUGHTER, LOIS, IN CLINTON, SENT SOME PICTURES TO SHARE AT TODAY'S LUNCHEON. YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE IN ONE OF THE TUESDAY SESSIONS!
REMEMBER ED? IF SO, USE THE KMAQ GUEST BOOK TO TELL US WHAT YOU REMEMBER!

AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING LAST NIGHT, THEY TALKED ABOUT BUILDING A NEW TRACK AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND SIX LIGHTED TENNIS COURTS. THE MAQUOKETA BOOSTER CLUB HAS MADE A LARGE DONATION TO THE PROJECT. SUPPORT SERVICES DIRECTOR FOR THE DISTRICT, JERRY NELSON, SAID HE WAS TOLD IF THE PROJECT WERE BID IN MARCH, THE TENNIS COURTS AND THE TRACK COULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE WINTER AND THE READY FOR THE SPRING 2005 SEASON. NELSON SAID THE ESTIMATE FOR A NEW TRACK AT THE SAME LOCATON AS THE OLD ONE, IS $220,000 AND THE SIX TENNIS COURTS ARE ESTIMATED AT $180,000.
THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT A PROPOSED NEW OFFICE FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO IT COULD BE MOVED FROM THE 2ND FLOOR. THE FIRST DESIGN CALLED FOR A NEW FRONT DOOR AND THAT PLAN WAS TOO COSTLY. SO, THE REVISED PLAN WOULD USE ONE OF THE EXISTING TWO SOUTH STREET-LEVEL DOORS FOR THE OFFICE AND THE OTHER DOOR FOR THE ENTRANCE TO BUILDING. FINAL PLANS SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD SOON WITH BIDS SENT OUT IN MARCH.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS INVESTIGATING SOME VANDALISM DONE AT THE JACKSON COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS. SOMEONE BROKE WINDOWS AND DOORS TO THE INFORMATION BOOTH, THE OPTIMIST FOOD STAND, THE BEER STAND AND THE STOCK CAR RACING FOOD STAND. NOTHING APPEARED TAKEN.

THE MAQUOKETA BOYS, RANKED 9TH IN THE STATE IN 3-A BASKETBALL, PLAY AT DYERSVILLE TONIGHT AND THE MAQUOKETA GIRLS ARE HOSTING DYERSVILLE.

"THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST" STARTS ASH WEDNESDAY, AT THE VOY 1 THEATRE
IN MAQUOKETA. STARTS NATIONWIDE THAT DAY ALSO. MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF IT. WE ARE THE SMALLEST TOWN IN IOWA TO GET IT AND WILL HAVE IT AT LEAST 4 WEEKS.

NO DEATHS OR BIRTHS.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN.

DENNIS VOY