NICE DAY....WARMER AND SUNNY....40'S TODAY, MAYBE 50 TOMORROW.

THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TODAY PASSED THE FIRST READING
OF AN ORDINANCE WHICH WOULD RESTRICT BODY PIERCINGS TO BE DONE UNDER
A PHYSICIAN'S SUPERVISION. ONE OTHER COUNTY IN IOWA HAS A BODY PIERCING ORDINANCE. THERE IS NO STATE REGULATION FOR BODY PIERCING. FRANK
FREIBERG, JACKSON COUNTY SANITARIAN, SAID THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF
HEALTH IS RECOMMENDING PASSAGE OF THE ORDINANCE. HE CALLED BODY PIERCING AN INVASIVE PROCEDURE. HE SAID THERE ARE NO RULES ABOUT
THE PERSON DOING THE BODY PIERCING AND NO STATE LAWS PREVENTING MINORS FROM GETTING PIERCINGS. FRIEBERG SAID A 15 YEAR OLD HAS TO HAVE A PARENT'S PERMISSION TO GET AN ASPIRIN FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE, BUT CAN GET A BODY PIERCING WITHOUT PARENTAL APPROVAL. JACK ROSENBERG OF MAQUOKETA WAS ONE OF 7 PEOPLE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING THIS MORNING AND SAID THE ORDINANCE SHOULD ALSON INCLUDE PIERCING EARS. HE SAID WAL MART PIERCES EARS WITHOUT SUPERVISION OF A DOCTOR. THE PROPOSED JACKSON COUNTY ORDINANCE EXEMPTS EAR PIERCING FROM THE ORDINANCE.
ROSENBERG SAID THERE SHOULD BE NO EXEMPTIONS. HE SAID JACKSON COUNTY DOESN'T NEED TO BE A LEADER. HE SAID THE STATE LEGISLATORS SHOULD BE CONTACTED AND THE REGULATIONS SHOULD BE PASSED BY THE STATE.
TERRY DORHN, OWNER OF A TATOO AND BODY PIERCING BUSINESS ACROSS FROM THE THEATRE IN MAQUOKETA, SAID HEHAS TAKEN TRAINING ON HOW TO DO BODY PIERCING. HE OPPOSED THE ORDINANCE. HE SAID HIS INSTRUMENTS ARE STERILIZED, BUT THOSE USED AT WAL MART FOR EAR PIERCING ARE NOT.

A MAQUOKETA MAN AND FOUR OTHERS HAVE PLEADED GUILTY TO FEDERAL DRUG AND MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES IN A SCHEME TO SMUGGLE MARIJUANA FROM CANADA TO THE UNITED STATES. MICHAEL BRENEMAN, AGE 55, OF MAQUOKETA ALONG WITH JEFFREY KOPP, AGE 53, OF MARION AND FORMERLY OF MAQUOKETA, AND DAVID DOWNING, AGE 32, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, EACH PLEADED GUILTY IN US DISTRICT COURT IN SIOUX CITY. THE CHARGES WRE CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE AND POSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE MORE THAN 1,000 KILOGRAMS OF MARIJUANA AND CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MONEY LAUNDERING. THE TWO OTHER MEN WERE FROM ILLINOIS AND VANCOUVER.
BRENEMAN AND KOPP AND DOWNY FACE A PRISON SENTENCE OF 10 YEARS TO LIFE AND A $4 MILLION FINE.

THE MAQUOKETA CITY COUNCIL LAST NIGHT APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF THE FORMER B-CAP PROPERTY ADJACENT TO MAQUOKETA AIRPORT, FOR $118,000.
NINTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE COST WILL BE PAID BY THE FAA. THE PROPERTY HAD GONE BACK TO A BANK FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF B-CAP. THE BANK HAD BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH THE CITY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE 3.58 ACRE SITE. THERE ARE TWO HANGAR BUILDINGS ON THE SITE. THE OTHER 5 PERCENT OF COST WILL BE PAID BY THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND FROM THE AIRPORT.

TRIVIA! 35 YEARS AGO, MAQUOKETA GOT ITS FIRST FAST-FOOD HAMBURGER RESTAURANT. ANYONE REMEMBER IT AND WHERE IT WAS LOCATED?

DENNIS VOY