CLOUDY AND H IGH OF 45.

THE DEPOT BAR AND GRILL WAS INTENTIONALLY SET. THE STATE FIRE MARSHALL WAS IN MAQUOKETA MOST OF YESTERDAY AND DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE ARSON. FIRE MARSHALL JEFF SHATZER WAS IN MAQUOKETA UNTIL ABOUT 8 LAST NIGHT. HE REMOVED SEVERAL SAMPLES FROM THE BURNED BUILDING AND TOOK THEM AS EVIDECE TO THE STATE LAB IN DES MOINES. AUTHORITIES SAY THERE ARE SOME SUSPECTED AREAS WHRE THE FIRE WAS STARTED BUT NO FURTHER OFFICIAL DETAILS ARE BEING RELEASED. A FEW RUMORS ARE GOING AROUND TOWN TOO.

THE MAQUOKETA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD HAS HIRED A NEW CHAMBER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. SHE WILL REPLACE LINDA STURTZ WHO IS RETIRING.
THE NEW DIRECTOR IS STACY DRISCOLL, DAUGHTER OF RICHARD AND LINDA MERRICK OF MAQUOKETA, A MAQUOKETA HIGH GRADUATE, AND A MOUNT MERCY COLLEGE IN CEDAR RAPIDS GRAD. HE HAS A DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING. SHE AND HER HUSBAND RON HAVE 4 CHILDREN AND LIVE ON AN ACREAGE JUST OUTSIDE OF MAQUOKETA. RON WORKS FOR 3-M IN CORDOVA. SHE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN FUNDRAISING WORK FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, MOST RECENTLY SERVING AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CLINTON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
SHE IS A RECENT GRAD OF THE CLINTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE. SHE STARTS WORK MONDAY, APRIL 3RD.

RANDY E. DAVIS, AGE 50, OF MAQUOKETA, WAS SENTENCED ON MARCH 3RD TO A PRISON TERM NOT TO EXCEED 5 YEARS FOR POSSESSION OF METH PRECURSORS, SECOND OFFENSE, AND WAS ALSO ORDERED TO PAY A FINE OF $750 PLUS SURCHARGES.

THE MAQUOKETA CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK GAVE THEIR OK TO FORM A COMMITTEE TO WORK WITH CRAIG SKOTT OF SKOTT AND ANDERSON ARCHITECTS REGARDING A DOWNTOWN PROJECT. SKOTT HAS OFFERED A FREE STUDY FOR A POSSIBLE STREETSCAPE PROJECT. THE MAKEUP OF THE COMMITEE WILL BE DECIDED LATER.

ALSO THIS WEEK, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE FINAL PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUPER WAL-MART PROJECT AT THE SOUTH EDGE OF THE CITY.

THE NEW SUPER WAL-MART IN ANAMOSA OPENED YESTERDAY, ABOUT TWICE THE SIZE OF THE OLD ONE. THE ADDED SPACE FOR THE MOST PART
BEING USED FOR THE GROCERY DEPARTMENT.

RUMOR HAS IT THE OLD WAL-MART STORE BUILDING IN MAQUOKETA HAS ALREADY BEEN SOLD. AND RUMOR FOR A LONG TIME HAS BEEN THAT THEISEN'S IN MAQUOKETA WOULD RELOCATE THERE. BUT, NO ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE. SO, JUST RUMOR AT THIS TIME.

HAVE SEEN SOME ACTIVITY AROUND THE T 'N T CONE SHOP ON EAST PLATT STREET....SO IT WILL PROBABLY BE OPENING SOON.

HAVE RECEIVED JUST ONE E-MAIL PLEGE SO FAR FOR THE SUNSHINE RADIOTHON THIS SATURDAY NIGHT. A NICE $50 PLEDGE, AND I THANK THE PERSON.

DON'T FORGET, THERE ARE 6 PHOTOS OF THE DEPOT FIRE ON KMAQ'S
HOME PAGE...CLICK ON THE CAMERA. www.kmaq.com

TAKE IT EASY.

DENNIS VOY