IT HAS BEEN COOL AND CLOUDY TODAY IN MAQUOKETA, QUITE A CHANGE FROM YESTERDAY. VERY LITTLE RAIN TODAY, BUT CLOUDY AND A LITTLE BREEZY.
HIGH ONLY IN THE 60'S.

THE STATE OF IOWA FIREMEN'S CONVENTION IS UNDERWAY IN MAQUOKETA.
OFF TO A BIG START. DOUG GONNER, MAQUOKETA FIREMAN, TOOK ME ON
A GOLF CART TOUR OF THE GROUNDS THIS AFTERNOON. HE ESTIMATES ABOUT 3/4 OF THE FIREMEN ARE HERE ALREADY AND THE REST WILL ARRIVE TOMORROW
AND FRIDAY. AROUND 2,500 ARE EXPECTED FOR THE 130TH ANNUAL EVENT.
MOST WITH THEIR OWN RV'S, BUT SOME IN TENTS AND EVERY HOTEL AND MOTEL ROOM IN MAQUOKETA IS FILLED. THE EAGLES AUXILIARY IS SERVING BREAKFAST
AT THEIR CLUB AND THEY HAD 80 FOR BREAKFAST ALREADY THIS MORNING.'
THEY EXPECT A COUPLE HUNDRED TOMORROW MORNING. MAQUOKETA RESTAURANTS ARE STOCKED WITH FOOD AND WELCOME SIGNS AND OUTDOOR MENU BOARDS. ONE FIRE DEPARTMENT BROUGHT A COUPLE MOBILE
GRILLS AND ARE FIXING PORK TONIGHT RIGHT NEAR PEARSON HALL.'
SATURDAY NIGHT IS STEAK NIGHT AND KALMES CATERING OF ST. DONATUS WILL DO UP ALL THE STEAKS THAT NIGHT. KMAQ WILL BE ON THE AIR "LIVE" FROM IN FRONT OF BOYER HALL, STARTING AT 6:05 TONIGHT. I'LL BE TALKING TO VISITING FIREMEN AND LOCAL FIGHTERS TOO. ITS A FESTIVE TIME IN
MAQUOKETA. AFTER READING TODAY'S NEWS ON THIS REPORT, BE SURE TO GO ON DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE PHOTOS I TOOK. REMEMBER, YOU CAN ENLARGE EACH PHOTO JUST BY CLICKING ON IT.

I WATCHED THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT. THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION ON THE DOWNTOWN FIRE MESS. WAS GLAD TO SEE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THAT THE TEMPORARY FENCE WAS PUT BACK IN PLACE.
FOR SEVERAL DAYS, A SEGMENT CAME DOWN AND NO ONE FIXED IT.
LAST NIGHT, THERE WAS THE SUGGESTION THAT A PLYWOOD FENCE BE PUT UP ALONG MAIN STREET TO HIDE THE MESS A LITTLE, AND THAT KIDS BE INVITED TO PAINT SCENES ON IT. COME ON! WELL.... THE COUNCIL VOTED TO DO THAT. THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS THE MESS TO BE CLEANED UP, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO SPEND ANY CITY MONEY. THE OWNERS DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE TO DO THE CLEAN-UP. ONE BUSINESS OWNER THAT LOST A BUILDING IN THE FIRE SAID THEY WOULD GIVE THEIR LAND, AT NO COST, TO THE CITY. THE COUNCIL WANTS SOMEONE TO CHECK ON STATE AND FEDERAL FREE MONEY, BUT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT'S SIMPLY WISHFUL THINKING.
I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT IF I WERE CITY MANAGER, I WOULD DO NOTHING ELSE UNTIL I GOT THIS PROBLEM SOLVED. MAYBE THE CITY COULD AGREE TO MATCH EVERY DOLLAR DONATED BY INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESS PLACES, CLUBS.....
ALL COULD SIGN A 3-YEAR PLEDGE WITH THE FIRST YEAR DUE IN 90-DAYS,
THEN THE REST IN 2009 AND 2010. $250,000 IN PLEDGES AND $250,000 FROM A CITY G-O BOND. AFTER THE MESS IS CLEANED UP, THE CITY WILL HAVE A CHOICE PIECE OF REAL ESTAGE TO SELL AND RE-COUP SOME (MAYBE ALL) OF THE MONEY PLEDGED. IF THE BIG RETAILER THAT HAS BEEN INTERESTED IN THE ENTIRE AREA DECIDES TO BUY, THE PLEDGES WON'T BE NECESSARY. THAT RETAILER IS STILL SLIGHTLY INTERESTED! IF A DRIVE IS STARTED, I'M READY TO MAKE A PLEDGE
AND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE MANY OTHER PLEDGES MADE TO GET THIS HUGE DOWNTOWN PROBLEM SOLVED.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE AN IDEA? EMAIL ME IF YOU DO AND I'LL PASS IT ON.

ALL THE TIME I HAVE FOR THIS DAILY REPORT TODAY. PLEASE TAKE TIME TO LOOK AT THE PHOTOS BELOW.

FIREMEN, WELCOME TO MAQUOKETA!!!

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN EVERYBODY.

DENNIS VOY

THIS IS THE LINE-UP AT THE REGISTRATION WINDOW AT BOYER HALL.
ALL KINDS OF CONVENTION SHIRTS ARE ON SALE BY THE MAQUOKETA VOLUNTEER
FIRE DEPARTMENT. SEE SOME HANG BY THE WELCOME SIGN.
DENNIS VOY

CAMPERS EVERYWHERE. HERE, LOOKING NORTH OVER THE PARKING LOT USED AT FAIRTIME. SATURDAY, THERE WILL BE THINGS GOING ON AT THE FIRST WARD PARK AND THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO STOP BUY. THERE WILL BE FOOD STANDS
THERE TOO.
DENNIS VOY

SOME LUCKY CONVENTION PERSON WILL WIN ONE OF THESE CABINETS IN
THE MAQUOKETA FIRE DEPARTMENT CONVENTION RAFFLE. MAQUOKETA FIREMEN AND THEIR WIVES ARE GOING TO BE MAKING MONEY IN SEVERAL WAYS.
THE RAFFLE IS ONE. RENTING THE RV SITES A BIG ONE. ALL GOING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TREASURY TO LET THE MVFD SERVE MAQUOKETA AND THE AREA BETTER THAN EVER, FROM THEIR BEAUTIFUL, NEWLY EXPANDED FIRE STATION.
WHAT A JOB THIS IS. PLANNING STARTED A YEAR AGO.
DENNIS VOY

INSIDE BOYER HALL ON THE FAIRGROUNDS IN MAQUOKETA, HERE IS WHERE
FIREMEN AND WOMEN AND CAN BUY CHANCES ON QUILTS, AND LOTS OF OTHER ITEMS.
DENNIS VOY

THIS IS WHERE FIREMEN FIRST CHECK-IN. THIS IS ON QUARRY STREET AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE FAIRGROUNDS. THERE THEY ARE TOLD WHERE THEY
ARE TO PARK THEIR RV OR PITCH THEIR TENT. RV'S WERE LINED UP AT ALL INTERSECTIONS TODAY. SOME PULLING TRAILERS WITH GOLF CARTS OR PARADE ENTRIES. DOUG SAID MOST ARE MEN FIREMEN WITH SPOUSE. BUT, HE SAID,
THERE ARE MANY WOMEN FIREWOMEN ALSO, WITH THEIR SPOUSE ALONG AS GUEST. AND THERE ARE ALSO SOME SITUATIONS OF HUSBAND-WIFE FIREFIGHTERS.
DENNIS VOY

EVERY FIREMEN THAT REGISTERS GETS A FREE "GOODY BAG". THE BAG WAS DONATED BY FAREWAY AND INSIDE, GIFTS FROM MAQUOKETA MERCHANTS.
DENNIS VOY

THIS SCENE IS THE CAMPING AREA NORTH OF THE RACE TRACK. THIS LAND
WAS ACQUIRED BY THE FAIRBOARD TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING AT FAIRTIME. EVERY RV IS SUPPLIED WITH ELECTRICITY. NOTE THE POLE TO LEFT. THESE ARE ALL OVER THE VARIOUS CAMPGROUNDS. THE TRANSFORMER ON TOP WILL BE SOLD AFTER THE CONVENTION. THE WHITE BOX AT THE BASE OF EACH POLE WILL GO ONTO TO THE CITY THAT SPONSORS NEXT YEAR'S CONVENTION. THERE ARE OVER 100 PORTA POTTIES ON THE CAMPGROUNDS. PLUS, ALL THE FAIRGROUND RESTROOMS ARE OPEN FOR USE.
THERE ARE TWO SEMI TRAILERS....ONE FOR MEN AND OTHER FOR WOMEN AND EACH
HAVE 10 SHOWER STALLS.
DENNIS VOY

GAME TIME FOR SOME VINTON FIREMEN.
DENNIS VOY

HOW ABOUT THIS OLD TIMER FROM THE VINTON FIRE DEPARTMENT?
IT WILL BE IN THE PARAGE AT 6:30 SATURDAY NIGHT. THE PARADE WILL
START AT THE MAQUOKETA MIDDLE SCHOOL AND GO NORTH ON MAIN STREET AND TURN LEFT AT QUARRY AND HEAD OUT TO THE FAIRGROUNDS. EVERYONE CAN WATCH THE PARADE. THE KIDS WILL ENJOY SEEING MORE FIREMEN AND FIRE TRUCKS THAN THEY HAVE EVER SEEN IN A PARADE.
DENNIS VOY

THIS VINTAGE FIRE TRUCK WILL BE IN THE BIG PARADE SATURDAY NIGHT.
DENNIS VOY

HEADQUARTERS FOR ONE FIRE DEPARTMENT. GOLF CARTS ARE ALL OVER THE FAIRGROUNDS. NOT A LOT OF TENTS LIKE THIS ONE.
DENNIS VOY