Wednesday, June 30, 2010

THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN LAST NIGHT AT THE MAQUOKETA ROTARY CLUB
ANNUAL ICE CREAM SOCIAL AND BAND CONCERT AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.
I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY BLOG THIS MORNING.   THIS IS THE ONLY
PHOTO THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET UP ON THE DAILY REPORT.   I HAVE QUITE A FEW OTHERS TO SHOW YOU AS SOON AS THE PROBLEM WITH THE BLOG
IS CORRECTED.    IT WAS A VERY NICE NIGHT.   BEAUTIFUL WEATHER.     A
DISAPPOINTING CROWD, BUT THOSE WHO CAME ENJOYED THE CAKE AND ICE CREAM AND THE NEARLY TWO HOUR CONCERT BY THE TIMBER CITY BAND, DIRECTED
BY JAY KAHN.      THEY PLAYED  ALL OF THE FAMOUS MARCHES AND GOT A STANDING
OVATION AT THE END.    THEY WILL PLAY AGAIN THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON
AT TABOR WINERY AT BALDWIN.    NO ADMISSION AND ALL WELCOME.
DENNIS VOY

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

ANOTHER GREAT DAY...75 THE HIGH.

THE NEW MOVIE:   "THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE" STARTS TOMORROW AROUND THE COUNTRY AND ALSO AT MY THEATRE.      AND TONIGHT, WE HAVE OVER 150 COMING
TO A SPECIAL MIDNIGHT SHOWING OF IT.    IT WILL BE A HUGE  MOVIE, DOING OVER
A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS BY NEXT MONDAY.

TWO NEW POLICE OFFICERS FOR THE MAQUOKETA PD.    BOTH START JULY 6TH.
KEENAN MEINECKE, AGE 25 OF MAQUOKETA AND BRAD KRAUSE, AGE 23, OF
DUBUQUE.     KEENAN IS THE SON OF CHRIS AND VICKI  MEINECKE OF MAQUOKETA,
OWNERS OF THEIR LONGTIME INSURANCE BUSINESS ON WEST PLATT STREET.
KEENAN GRADUATED FROM MCHS AND UNI  IN CEDAR FALLS.     HE HAS BEEN
WORKING FOR AN AIRLINE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS.   THE TWO WILL REPLACE
BOB SIMONSON AND CHAD WEIPERT WHO RESIGNED WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS.

EVERYTHING IS NOW ON SCHEDULE TO REPLACE THE STOP AND GO LIGHTS AT THE ON-OFF RAMPS OF HIGHWAY 61 AND PLATT STREETS.    THE DOT HAS
AGREED TO DO IT IN STAGES.     TOO BAD.

THE UNITED WAY OF CLINTON COUNTY SURPASSED ITS 2009 GOAL.
THE CITY OF DEWITT IS A DIVISION OF THE CAMPAIGN.    DEWITT'S GOAL WAS
$31,000.     DEWITT RAISED AN ALL-TIME HIGH OF $48.992.
MAQUOKETA HAS NEVER HAD A UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN.        MAYBE 40-50 YEARS AGO.

WE WILL BE BROADCASTING TWO PARADES THIS WEEKEND.....THE 4TH OF JULY PARADE SATURDAY NIGHT AT DEWITT AND THE BELLEVUE PARADE SUNDAY
MORNING.     FIREWORKS WILL BE SUNDAY NIGHT AT LAMOTTE, BELLEVUE,
GRAND MOUND, OXFORD JUNCTION AND CLINTON.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN.

DENNIS VOY
THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE FAMOUS "MOONEY HOLLOW BARN MUSIC CENTER
AND SALOON", OWNED BY KEVIN PETESCH AND LOCATED ON HIGHWAY 52 AT GREEN ISLAND, IOWA, BETWEEN BELLEVUE TO THE NORTH AND SABULA TO THE
SOUTH.    KEVIN'S NEXT TWO BIG-NAME SHOWS WILL BE IN AUGUST.
JOHNNY LEE ON AUGUST 14TH AND DAVID BALL ON AUGUST 28TH.     FOR TICKETS
YOU CAN GO TO THE WEB SITE,  www.MooneyHollowBarn.com  OR CALL 563-580-9497.
CLICK-ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT...CLICK-ON A SECOND TIME TO ENLARGE IT EVEN MORE.

DENNIS VOY

Monday, June 28, 2010

BEAUTIFUL DAY TODAY....HIGH OF 78.    THE FORECAST IS NICE FOR THE
ENTIRE WEEK AHEAD, INCLUDING THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

RONALD HOWELL, JR. OF BALDWIN AND FORMERLY OF MAQUOKETA, DIED
FOLLOWING A ONE-VEHICLE ACCIDENT SATURDAY SOUTH OF LOST NATION.
HOWELL, AGE 51, DIED AFTER HIS TRUCK WENT OFF THE ROAD.  HE WAS
ALONE AND ACCORDING TO HIS OBITUARY, HE DIED FROM INJURIES AFTER
SUFFERING A HEART ATTACK.    GO TO CARSON AND SON WEB SITE FOR
HIS COMPLETE OBITUARY.

HEATHER DAVIS, AGE 33, OF MAQUOKETA, WAS IN A ONE-VEHICLE ACCIDENT
OVER THE WEEKEND ON COUNTY ROAD E-17.   SHE FAILED TO NEGOTIATE
A SHARP TURN IN THE ROAD AND HIT A TREE.    SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE  HOSPITAL BY PRIVATE VEHICLE WITH POSSIBLE INJURIES.    $10,000 IN DAMAGES TO HER 2009 CAR.   NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED.

A BICYCLIST HIT A CAR AT PLATT AND NIAGARA SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND MINOR INJURIES.    BRITTNI BRONSON, AGE 21, OF MAQUOKETA, WAS DRIVING THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT AT NIAGARA AND PLATT AT 2:30 P.M. AND 5-YEAR-OLD CONNER MANNING OF MAQUOKETA WAS ON HIS BIKE ON THE SIDEWALK AND HIT THE BRONSON VEHICLE.    THE POLICE OFFICER SAID THE BICYCLIST WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.     ABOUT $2,000 DAMAGE TO THE BRONSON CAR.     CONNER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES BUT WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE  HOSPITAL.

THE TIMBER CITY ADVENTURE RACE FROM CANTON TO MAQUOKETA'S LITTLE BEAR PARK WENT WELL SATURDAY MORNING WITH ABOUT 82 ENTRIES, UP ABOUT 5 FROM LAST YEAR.   
THE RELAY FOR LIFE CANCER WALK ENDED EARLY SATURDAY MORNING AT THE FAIRGROUNDS IN MAQUOKETA  WHEN THE RAIN CAME
THE TIMBER CITY DAYS EVENT AT LITTLE BEAR ALL DAY SATURDAY AND SATURDAY
NIGHT, HAD GOOD WEATHER, BUT ATTENDANCE WAS LIGHT.

THERE WILL BE NO 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS THIS YEAR IN MAQUOKETA.
IN PAST YEARS, THE FIREWORKS WERE AFTER THE SATURDAY NIGHT STOCK CAR RACES AT THE FAIRGROUNDS IN MAQUOKETA.      THE CHAMBER EACH YEAR HAD  A FUND DRIVE TO HELP OFFSET THE COSTS.     THIS YEAR, BOB WAGNER, WHO
SPONSORS THE RACES, DID  NOT SCHEDULE FIREWORKS.     SEEMS DONATIONS
HAVE BEEN DECLINING AND THE COSTS OF FIREWORKS INCREASING.

THERE WILL BE FREE  FIREWORKS THIS THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE HOSPITAL HERE IN MAQUOKETA STARTING SOMETIME AFTER 9 P.M.......TO KICK-OFF THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LOCAL HOSPITAL AND GENESIS HEALTHY SYSTEM OF DAVENPORT    THERE WILL ALSO BE FREE REFRESHMENTS  FROM 9 UNTIL 10 P.M. AND THE PUBLIC IS INVITED.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.

DENNIS VOY

Sunday, June 27, 2010

THE LUNCH ON THE DAIRY FARM WAS FROM 1 UNTIL 4 THIS AFTERNOON.
GREAT TURNOUT!     NANCY AND I  ARRIVED AT ABOUT 3 WHEN THE RUSH
WAS OVER.    IT WAS HOSTED BY SCOTT AND TRICIA HOLDGRAFER FOR THE
JACKSON-CLINTON DAIRY ASSOCIATION, A WIND-UP TO JUNE DAIRY MONTH.
HERE ARE TWO OF THE STARS OF THE SHOW TODAY.   THEY WERE WAITING
IN LINE TO BE MILKED.     THE MILKING PARLOR (A DOUBLE UNIT OF 9 MACHINES)
CAN MILK 18 AT A TIME, 3 TIMES EACH DAY.    EACH OF THE 3 SHIFTS TAKES
ABOUT 4 HOURS TO MILK ALL 400 COWS.     THE  HOLDGRAFERS, TO HELP THEM,
HAVE 3 FULLTIME HIRED HANDS, IN ADDITION TO PART TIME EMPLOYEES,
INCLUDING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.   CLICK-ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE
THEM.
DENNIS VOY
SCOTT HOLGRAFER SHOWN HERE DID NOT GROW UP ON A FARM.   HE ATTENDED
SCHOOL AT PRESTON AND WENT INTO THE DAIRY BUSINESS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
NEAR DYERSVILLE.    HE MOVED TO THE PRESENT LOCATION ON 328TH AVENUE
NORTH OF ANDREW IN 1996.    FIRST AS A PART OWNER AND NOW SOLE OWNER
WITH HIS WIFE TRICIA.     HIS FARM HAS GROWN A LOT SINCE THOSE EARLY DAYS
WHEN HE SAID HE FOUND OUT YOU CAN'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY MILKING A
HERD OF 50 OR SO.    AND SO BIGGER AND BIGGER HIS OPERATION GREW.
AND PROBABLY WILL GROW MORE. 
DENNIS VOY
THIS WAS THE 2ND ANNUAL DAIRY LUNCH SPONSORED BY THE JACKSON-CLINTON
DAIRY ASSOCIATOIN.    LAST YEAR'S WAS IN CLINTON COUNTY.     THE
ORGANIZATION ALSO SPONSORS A DAIRY BANQUET DURING THE WINTER.
THE  LUNCH TODAY WAS TO LET EVERYONE (ESPECIALLY CITY FOLK) SEE HOW
THE MILK GETS FROM THE FARM  ON THE JOURNEY TO  YOUR KITCHEN TABLE.
DENNIS VOY
THIS LITTLE GUY WILL PROBABLY OWN HIS OWN DAIRY FARM SOME DAY.
DENNIS VOY
TAKES A LOT OF FEED TO FEED 400 COWS AND 50 CALVES.
DENNIS VOY
HUNDREDS(OVER A THOUSAND) WERE FED IN A LARGE MACHINERY SHED.
BRATS, HOTDOGS,  HAMBURGERS, BAKED BEANS, LOTS OF CHEESE, SHAKES, WATERMELON, MILK AND MORE......ALL FREE BUT DONATIONS WERE WELCOME. 
DENNIS VOY
THE CALF BARN HAS 70 CALF STALLS.    THERE ARE CURRENTLY
50 IN THERE AND THEY GET FED TWICE A DAY.  
DENNIS VOY
THIS IS A PHOTO INSIDE THE CALF BARN OFFICE AREA.    NOTE THE PLAYPEN
FOR THE HOLDGRAFER'S 16-MONTH OLD.      THE HOLDGRAFERS HAVE
THREE OLDER CHILDREN UP TO THE BOY THAT IS 11 AND IS STARTING TO
HELP ON THE FARM.
DENNIS VOY
HERE IS TRICIA HOLGRAFER INSIDE THE FAIRLY NEW AND MODERN CALF
BARN.    SHE IS IN CHARGE OF THE CALVES.     SHE (WAS A WEBER) AND
WAS BORN ON A DIARY FARM IN JACKSON COUNTY.    
DENNIS VOY
THERE WAS A PETTING ZOO FOR KIDS AND
HORSE AND PONY RIDES TOO.
DENNIS VOY
EVERYONE HAD TO WEAR SPECIAL FOOTWEAR TO TAKE THE TOUR, TO
KEEP  NAUGHTY GERMS FROM OUTSIDE GETTING INTO THE DAIRY BARNS.
DENNIS VOY
ALICE DAVIS, OF BELLEVUE, FORMERLY OF MAQUOKETA, ENJOYING THE
DAIRY LUNCH, WITH COOL WATERMELON.     HER LATE HUSBAND DICK
WAS A MAQUOKETA GIRL'S SOFTBALL COACH YEARS AGO.
DENNIS VOY
THE STATE OF IOWA DAIRY PRINCESS, MISS ADAMS, FROM NOTHWEST
IOWA......GREETING PEOPLE AT THE DAIRY LUNCH AND REMINDING EVERYONE
TO ENJOY GREAT DAIRY PRODUCTS NOT ONLY DURING JUNE DAIRY MONTH....
BUT ALL YEAR LONG.
THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT ATTENDED TODAY ...LUNCH ON A DAIRY FARM!
DENNIS VOY

Friday, June 25, 2010

ANOTHER NICE DAY TODAY!

THE MAQUOKETA  HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASEBALL TEAM WON ANOTHER DOUBLE-HEADER LAST NIGHT AT VINTON, WINNING 10 TO 7 AND 8 TO 3.   THE WINNING PITCHERS WERE ERIC FITZPATRIC AND ZACH SHEIBE.    TOMORROW NIGHT, A SINGLE GAME
AGAINST NORTH CEDAR HERE IN TOWN.    THE CARDINALS ARE NOW 12 AND 10
OVERALL AND 6 AND 8 IN THE WAMAC.
THE GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM DROPPED IN THE STATE 3-A RANKINGS TH IS WEEK
FROM 8TH PLACE TO 10TH PLACE.

NO MAJOR MAQUOKETA NEWS TODAY.

BIG DAY TOMORROW.... TIMBER CITY DAY....THE RACE AND ALL THE ACTIVITIES IN THE LITTLE BEAR PARK.
A DAY-LONG CELEBRATION.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND.

DENNIS VOY

SEE PHOTO BELOW
THE ANNUAL FIRST-DAY-OF-SUMMER MAQUOKETA ROTARY DUCK RACE
WAS HELD LAST MONDAY AT THE YMCA SWIMMING POOL.       OVER 800
DUCKS WERE IN THE RACE.     THE DUCK TAKING FIRST PLACE WAS
OWNED BY CAROL DODDS OF MAQUOKETA, SHOWN HERE ACCEPTING
HER $1,000 CHECK FROM LONGTIME MAQUOKETA ROTARY CLUB
TREASURER, ASHER SCHROEDER.     CAROL PURCHASED HER DUCK
LAST SATURDAY FROM A ROTARIAN THAT WAS SELLING THE
DUCKS NEAR THE ENTRANCE  TO THE FAREWAY STORE.    SHE HAS
WORKED SINCE 1981 OR 1982 FOR OBIE'S TACOS IN MAQUOKETA.
SHE WORKED FIRST FOR OBIE WHEN HE HAD HIS POPULAR TACO
RESTAURANT AT HURSTVILLE, UNTIL FLOODING FORCED THE BUSINESS
TO HIGHWAY 64 WEST, IN THE FORMER TANGO BUILDING.     SO.....MANY
MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD CAROL AS A WAITRESS.     THE ROTARY AND I SAY
THANKS FOR MAKING THE DUCK RACE ANOTHER BIG SUCCESS.    AS 
CHAIRMAN OF THE EVENT EACH YEAR, MY THANKS ALSO GO OUT TO MY FELLOW ROTARIANS WHO SELL THE DUCKS AND MAKE THE RACE POSSIBLE.    WE
WILL HAVE OVER $2,000 MORE FUNDS TO DO COMMUNITY PROJECTS.      OUR
NEXT PROJECT IS THE ANNUAL SENIOR CITIZEN'S  ICE CREAM SOCIAL AND
BAND CONCERT THIS COMING WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, STARTING
AT 5:30  WITH MUSIC BY THE TIMBER CITY BAND, DIRECTED BY JAY KAHN.
I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE FIRST ICE CREAM SOCIAL IN 1976.     THEN,  AND FOR
MANY YEARS, IT WAS HELD IN THE FIRST WARD PARK.      AND THEN,  WE MADE ARE OWN ICE CREAM.    THE FIRST SOCIAL AND CONCERT WAS A FEATURE OF THE
WEEK-LONG MAQUOKETA CELEBRATION OF THE U.S. BICENTENIAL.      FOR MANY
YEARS, TED MAZE HAS BEEN CHAIRMAN OF THE EVENT AND HE WILL BE HEADING IT UP AGAIN THIS WEDNESDAY.     A FEW YEARS AGO, WE MOVED IT TO THE FAIRGROUNDS IN THE OPEN SHELTER THERE.     WE HAVE NEVER MISSED A YEAR FOR THE EVENT SINCE 1976 , WHICH IS OPEN TO ALL SENIORS IN THE MAQUOKETA AREA.       IT IS FREE AND BRING LAWN CHAIRS IF YOU WANT.    GREAT BAND MUSIC AFTER THE CAKE AND ICE CREAM.    IT HAS ALSO BEEN HELD EVERY MONTH IN JUNE
TO CELEBRATE JUNE DAIRY MONTH.
DENNIS VOY

Thursday, June 24, 2010

KMAQ HAD INTERNET PROBLEMS FOR OVER A DAY.      NEW LARGE ROUTER
SHOULD  SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS.

WE HAD OVER 2 INCHES OF RAIN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, BUT NOW BACK TO GOOD WEATHER.   NICE DAY TODAY AND TOMORROW SHOULD ALSO BE NICE.
MAQUOKETA HAS HAD AROUND 10 INCHES OF RAIN THIS MONTH, DOUBLE THE NORMAL AMOUNT.
AND THEN THERE IS RON AND SHIRLEY'S PLACE....115 DEGREES.

THEY ARE POURING CONCRETE THIS AFTERNOON ON THE NEW DOWNTOWN
SIDEWALK.

TWO NEW SIDE-BY-SIDE TAVERNS OPEN THIS WEEKEND AT BELLEVUE.

BIG TWO DAY FAMILY FUN EVENT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY IN MAQUOKETA'S  LITTLE BEAR PARK.   SOMEONE PUT ALL EVENTS ON KMAQ'S GUEST BOOK.   CHECK
AFTER READING THIS.

MIKE NICKESON OF MAQUOKETA IS THE NEW BOARD MEMBER OF THE
MAQUOKETA HOSPTAL, REPLACING BOB THOMAS WHO RESIGNED BECAUSE OF
HIS WIFE'S ILLNESS.    KAREN IS FIGHTING CANCER.     MIKE WORKS FOR
ALLIANT ENERGY.    HE SERVES UNTIL THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
THE HOSPITAL IS CLOSE TO GETTING A NEW SURGEON.

THE MAQUOKETA GIRL'S SOFTBALL TEAM LOST 1 TO 0 LAST NIGHT AT
VINTON-SHELLSBURG.   THE BOYS PLAY THERE TONIGHT.

PAT HARTLEY'S MOTHER DIED TUESDAY AT AGE 95, IN BROKLYN, IOWA.

THE WOODCARVERS SIGNED A 10-YEAR CONTRACT TO HAVE THEIR
ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.      

ALICE AND LARRY HAGER WERE IN TOWN THIS WEEK.     THEY HAVE AN APARTMENT AT MARSHALLTOWN.    LARRY DID LIVE (AROUND 3 YEARS) AT THE VETERAN'S
HOME THERE.   HE WAS JUST 89.    BROCK LIVES NEAR DES MOINES, NOT MARRIED.
LAURIE AND HUSBAND WITH 16-MONTH OLD TWINS LIVE 40 MILES FROM LAS VEGAS
AND BRUCE LIVES WITH RELATIVES NEAR CALAMUS. 
GOOD TO SEE LARRY.   HE DID A LOT OF SIGN PAINTING FOR ME OVER THE
YEARS.   

THE RAIN HAS HURT THE DRIVE-IN BUSINESS A LITTLE.    GO AHEAD, FEEL SORRY
FOR ME.

SEE YOU TOMORROW.

DENNIS VOY

Monday, June 21, 2010

THE ANNUAL FIRST-DAY-OF-SUMMER MAQUOKETA ROTARY CLUB DUCK

RACE WAS HELD LAST NIGHT IN THE MAQUOKETA YMCA SWIMMING POOL.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE RACE, ONE PERSON HAD TWO

WINNING DUCKS.

THE FIRST PLACE DUCK  WAS RACED BY CAROL DODDS

OF  IOWA UNIVERSITY AVENUE IN MAQUOKETA.    SHE WINS $1,000.

SECOND PLACE WENT TO LONNIE HERMAN OF 174TH AVENUE, MAQUOKETA.

THE SECOND THRU 6TH PLACE DUCKS ALL WON $100.

THIRD PLACE WAS TAKEN BY DEB SCANLON OF R. R. 2, MAQUOKETA.

FOURTH PLACE, WENT TO PAM MANDERSCHEID OF NORTH JONES AVENUE

IN MAQUOKETA.

FIFTH PLACE BY SALLY FELTEN OF COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE, MAQUOKETA....

AND 6TH PLACE, THE REPEAT WINNER  WAS DEB SCANLON.

ROTARIAN DENNIS VOY, CHAIRMAN OF  THE DUCK RACE,  SAID PROCEEDS

FROM  THE RACE WILL BE USED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND  COMMUNITY

PROJECTS SPONSORED BY THE MAQUKETA ROTARY. 

THE NEXT ROTARY EVENT WILL BE THE ANNUAL ICE-CREAM SOCIAL AND

BAND CONCERT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS IN

MAQUOKETA ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 30TH.       THE TIMBER CITY

COMMUNITY BAND, DIRECTED BY JAY KAHN, WILL AGAIN PROVIDE THE MUSIC

FOR THE FREE OUTDOOR EVENT, OPEN TO ALL SENIOR CITIZENS IN THE

MAQUOKETA AREA.     
NICE FATHER'S DAY WEEKEND IN MAQUOKETA.
FRIDAY, THE WIND DOWNED SOME TREES.
SATURDAY, GOOD WEATHER ALL DAY AND EVENING.
SUNDAY, ANOTHER NICE DAY.
VERY LIGHT RAIN THIS MORNING, THEN THE REST OF TODAY HAS BEEN
PARTLY SUNNY AND WARM.   HIGH TODAY OF 82.

THEY STARTED WORKING TODAY ON THE NEW SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF THE
NOW EMPTY LOTS DOWNTOWN.  
AND OVER THE WEEKEND, THE BUILDING THAT WAS DAMAGED WHEN
THEY BROUGHT DOWN THE CORNER BUILDING WAS REPAIRED.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT AT 7.  

THE DUCK RACE IS AT 6 TONIGHT.    I'LL HAVE THE WINNERS
TOMORROW MORNING HERE.

BANOWETZ ANTIQUES IS HAVING THEIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY SALE ALL THIS WEEK AND THROUGH  SUNDAY.       SAYS VERL:   "BRING  YOUR CHECKBOOK!"
I DID A COUPLE REMOTE BROADCASTS OUT AT THEIR MALL THIS PAST WEEKEND AND WILL DO MORE THIS WEEKEND.       I HAVE BEEN DOING THOSE FOR MOST
OF THE 40 YEARS.

SOMEONE EMAILED ME WONDERING IF THE CLASS OF 1975 IS GOING TO  HAVE A 35TH CLASS REUNION THIS SUMMER?    LET ME KNOW IF YOU KNOW.
YOU COULD ALSO GIVE INFORMATION ON THE KMAQ GUEST BOOK.

IT IS NOW SUMMER!
ENJOY THE SUMMER AHEAD!

DENNIS VOY
THE FLY-IN BREAKFAST YESTERDAY WAS POPULAR.       WITH GOOD WEATHER,
OVER 600 DROVE-IN AND OVER 20 PLANES FLEW IN.     HERE ARE THE 2ND
SHIFT COOKS....I ARRIVED AT 11 A.M.        LEFT AND TO T HE BACK, DAVE
HAYES DOING THE EGGS.        DAVE TOLD ME TRUDI, MAQUOKETA'S FIRST
FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT, WILL BE BACK THIS SUMMER FOR HER 50TH
CLASS REUNION.      TO THE BACK AND CENTER, DOING THE SAUSAGE,
BRENT RATHJE.    BRENT KNOWS HOW TO COOK....WON FARM BUREAU COOKING
CONTESTS IN THE PAST.    STILL THE SIDING MAN FOR CONNELL ROOFING AND
SIDING.      AND FRONT AND RIGHT, RETIRED, BUT BUSY MOST OF  THE TIME,
JAKE BICKFORD, WHO WAS THE PANCAKE MAN.     JUDY BICKFORD, JAKE'S BRIDE OF MANY YEARS, IS ALSO AN OPTIMIST CLUB MEMBER AND SHE WAS BUSY ON SAME SHIFT CLEARING TABLES.    THE ANNUAL BREAKFAST IS SPONSORED BY THE
MAQUOKETA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT COMMISSION AND THE MAQUOKETA OPTIMIST
CLUB.     IT IS ONE OF THE FAVORITE BREAKFASTS FOR KIDS WHO ENJOY WATCHING
THE PLANES COME AND GO.     PLANE RIDES WERE $20 AND HELICOPTER RIDES
WERE $40.    CLICK-ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT.
DENNIS VOY    
THE MAQUOKETA RIVER ON FATHER'S DAY 2010.    CLICK-ON
THIS PHOTO AND THE TWO BELOW TO ENLARGE PHOTOS.....CLICK TWICE
TO ENLARGE THEM  MORE.
DENNIS VOY
YES .. THIS IS IN BEAUTIFUL JACKSON COUNTY.
DENNIS VOY
THE MAQUOKETA RIVER AGAIN....LITTLE HIGH BECAUSE
OF THE RAIN WE HAVE HAD THE LAST WEEK.
DENNIS VOY

Friday, June 18, 2010

AROUND AN INCH OF RAIN  ON AND OFF SINCE EARLY THIS MORNING.
A STORM OVERNIGHT AND A STORM THIS MORNING AND THEN AGAIN A STORM
AROUND 1:30 THIS AFTERNOON.     STRONG WINDS THIS AFTERNOON IN THE
TIMBER CITY WHERE BRANCHES HIT THE GROUND FROM THE WIND AND I KNOW OF TWO TREES TOPPLED.    BRAD KORANAD LOST A TREE ON WEST PLATT AND
CY PAUL LOST ONE ON GRANT STREET.     MORE RAIN TONIGHT, BUT BEAUTIFUL
DAY TOMORROW.

THE MOTHER OF THE 4-YEAR OLD ANDREW BOY WHO DIED SATURDAY AFTERNOON
INTENTIONALLY HELD HIS HEAD UNDER WATER IN A BATHTUB ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS.      SHE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE AND IS IN THE JONES COUNTY JAIL.    HER HUSBAND IS IN THE JAIL HERE AND ON $50,000 CASH BOND, CHARGED WITH CHILD ENDANGERMENT RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF
A CHILD.

LAST NIGHT THE MAQUOKETA GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM BEAT MARION TWICE AND ARE NOW 17 AND 4 OVERALL.
AND..
LAST NIGHT THE MAQUOKETA BOY'S BASEBALL TEAM WON TWICE OVER  ANAMOSA AND ARE NOW 10 AND 8 OVERALL.

IT IS 5 P.M. AND THE SUN IS OUT NOW IN MAQUOKETA.

THE FATHER'S DAY FLY-IN BREAKFAST IS THIS SUNDAY AT THE
AIRPORT.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND.

DENNIS VOY
THE FENCE IS DOWN!      ANYONE CAN NOW WALK ON THE FIRE SITE!
CLICK-ON THE PHOTO HERE AND BELOW TO ENLARGE IT.
DENNIS VOY
MAYBE THERE COULD BE A KID'S SOFTBALL GAME ON THE SITE.
DENNIS VOY

Thursday, June 17, 2010

HOT  AND HUMID TODAY.....85 DEGREES.

THE WOODCARVERS MEETING IN MAQUOKETA THIS WEEK ARE VERY HAPPY
TO BE IN MAQUOKETA THIS YEAR AND HAVE ALREADY DECIDED TO COME
BACK NEXT YEAR.

THERE WILL BE AN ELECTION THIS FALL TO DETERMINE WHETHER EAST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MILES AND SABULA)  AND PRESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
WILL MERGE INTO ONE DISTRICT.    LAST NIGHT, ABOUT 500 PEOPLE GATHERED
AT THE OHNWARD FINE ARTS CENTER IN MAQUOKETA AS PART OF A PUBLIC
HEARING WITH THE MISSISSIPPI  BEND AREA EDUCATION AGENCY.
AFTER THE HEARING, AEA BOARD MEMBERS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO ALLOW
THE ELECTION.    THERE WERE 30 PEOPLE WHO SPOKE LAST NIGHT.    ABOUT
10 VOICED OPPOSITION TO THE ELECTION.    MANY SAID THEY PREFERED
THE WHOLE GRADE SHARING AGREEMENT IN THE WORKS BETWEEN EAST
CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN NEARBY GOOSE LAKE.
JIM HOUSE, EAST CENTRAL SUPERINTENDENT, SAID HIS BOARD WILL BE PRESENTED WITH INFORMATION MONDAY NIGHT ON WHETHER TO APPEAL THE AEA DECISIION.   THE DISTRICT HAS 10 DAYS TO APPEAL THE DECISION TO DISTRICT COURT.

RECONSTRUCTION OF WASHINGTON STREET IN FRONT OF THE MAQUOKETA
COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL IS SCHEDULED TO START NEXT WEEK.
IT NEEDS IT.    THE JOB MAY BE DONE AS EARLY AS AUGUST 2ND.    IT WILL
BE CLOSED WHILE THE WORK IS BEING DONE.

THE MOTHER OF A 4-YEAR-OLD ANDREW CHILD WHO DIED SATURDAY  NIGHT HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER AND THE FATHER CHARGED WITH CHILD ENDANGERMENT, RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF A CHILD.     THE PAIR ARE ACCUSED IN THE DEATH OF THEIR ADOPTIVE SON, 4 YEAR-OLD COLLIN PARKER WILLIAM HOLDGRAFER ON JUNE 12TH IN ANDREW.        ANDREW HOLDGRAFER IS BEING HELD IN JAIL HERE IN MAQUKETA AND DANIELLE  HOLDGRAFER WILL BE HELD AT THE JONES COUNTY JAIL WHERE WOMEN ARE HOUSED.     THE CAUSE OF THE DEATH HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.   AUTOPSY RESULTS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED FROM THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE.     IT ALL  STARTED LAST SATURDAY WHEN ANDREW HOLGRAFER CALLED POLICE ON HIS WAY TO THE HOSPITAL IN MAQUOKETA AT 5 P.M.     HE TOLD DISPATCHERS THE CHILD WAS NOT BREATHING WELL AFTER A POSIBLE DROWNING IN THE BATHTUB.

IN SPORTS...THE MAQUOKETA BOYS BASEBALL TEAM DEFEATED MANCHESTER WEST DELAWARE LAST NIGHT 15 TO 5 IN THE FIRST GAME AND THEN LOST
THE SECOND GAME, 17 TO 8.
AND, THE MAQUOKETA GIRL'S SOFTBALL TEAM LOST TO INDEPENDENCE
LAST NIGHT, 2 TO 1.     MAQUOKETA IS NOW 8 AND 3 IN THE WAMAC AND
15 AND 4 OVERALL.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN.

DENNIS VOY

Monday, June 14, 2010

RAIN YESTERDAY...OVER AN INCH...LIGHT RAIN THIS MORNING AND THEN  SUNNY AND HUMID THIS AFTERNOON WITH A HIGH TODAY IN MID 70'S.

ATTENDANCE AT THE MAQUOKETA CAVES STATE PARK IS WAY, WAY DOWN
SINCE THE ACTUAL CAVES WERE DECLARED CLOSED EARLIER THIS SPRING
BECAUSE OF  A DISEASE THAT HAS KILLED ABOUT A MILLION BATS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.     BATS LIVE IN THE CAVES.     TODAY, AN  IOWA EVIRONMENTAL
SPECIALIST, WITH THE DNR, SAID THE MAQUOKETA CAVES WERE "FAIRLY
LIKELY"  TO BE SHUTTERED FOR THE REST OF 2010.   

FOUR PEOPLE FROM THE GRAND MOUND AND BERNARD AREA GOT LOST IN THE MAQUOKETA CAVES STATE PARK ABOUT 5 YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND
CALLED FOR HELP.     THE MAQUOKETA FIRE DEPARTMENT TO THE RESCUE.
ONE OF THE FOUR CUT HER LEG AND HAD TO BE CARRIED ABOUT 2  1/2 MILES IN A BASKET.       SIX FIREMEN SWITCHED-OFF CARRYING HER OUT THE ROUGH AREA AND SHE HAD NO LIFE THREATENING INJURIES.

A SABULA PERSON WON $100,000 SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE POWERBALL DRAWING.
THE WINNING TICKET PURCHASED AT THE HOP AND SHOP CONVENIENCE STORE
IN SABULA.     THE PERSON HAS NOT YET COME FORTH TO CLAIM THE PRIZE AND
WE DON'T KNOW WHO HE OR SHE IS.

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING TONIGHT.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.

DENNIS VOY

Friday, June 11, 2010

HOT TODAY, 85 THE HIGH.

THE CITY OF MAQUOKETA WILL BE DOING AROUND $100,000 WORTH OF
SEAL COATING STREETS THIS SUMMER.

THE 23RD ANNUAL JACKSON COUNTY PRO-RODEO IS NEXT WEEK AT
RURAL BELLEVUE.

THE 44TH ANNUAL WOODCARVER'S INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION CONGRESS IS BEING  HELD IN MAQUOKETA NOW THROUGH JUNE 20TH.     AROUND 200 TO 300 PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED.   MANY WILL CAMP AT THE FAIRGOUNDS, WHERE
MOST OF THE CONRESS WILL BE  HELD.

A CORRECTION ON THE STORY YESTERDAY ABOUT ENGEL AGENCY INSURANCE
IN MAQUOKETA.      BRUCE ENGEL IS STILL THE OWNER AND WILL BE
UNTIL THIS  FALL SOMETIME.      AN AGREEMENT FOR EMPLOYEE JENNIFER MACHANDE TO PURCHASE THE BUSINESS HAS BEEN REACHED AND SHE WILL MANAGE THE BUSINESS UNTIL THE SALE CLOSING THIS FALL.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND.

DENNIS VOY

Thursday, June 10, 2010

PARTLY SUNNY AND 73 TODAY.

SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE INJURED AS THE RESULT OF A MULTI-VEHICLE ACCIDENT
NORTH OF MAQUOKETA AROUND 11:45 THIS MORNING.     SEVEN PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL IN MAQUOKETA AND ALL SEVEN HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY 61 AT THE INTERSECTION WITH THE BELLEVUE-CASCADE ROAD.    ONE VEHICLE DRIVEN BY DARRYL KACZINSKI OF
DELMAR.  ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVEN BY LURA DANIELS OF RURAL MAQUOKETA AND THE THIRD VEHICLE DRIVEN BY A WISCONSIN MAN.

A MAQUOKETA TEEN AGER WAS CHARGED WITH RECKLESS DRIVING TUESDAY AFTERNOON WHEN HE PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT ON SOUTH CLARK STREET
TO HIDE FROM ANOTHER MOTORIST.    AS GILBERTO EGGERS BACKED FROM HIS PARKING SPOT, HE STRUCK A LEGALLY PARKED CAR AND THEN LEFT THE SCENE.
HE WAS STOPPED BY MAQUOKETA POLICE A SHORT TIME LATER AND CHARGED.   

THE MAQUOKETA CITY COUNCIL SPENT SOME MONEY AT THEIR MEETING
MONDAY NIGHT.    $5,725 FOR TREE TRIMMING AND STUMP REMOVAL.
$7,500 FOR A NEW COPY MACHINE.    $5,200 FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL PAINT.
AN $11,616 FOR FIRE HYDRANTS AND RELATED EQUIPMENT.

IN BUSINESS NEWS, BRUCE ENGEL WROTE A LETTER TO HIS INSURANCE CLIENTS
INFORMING THEM THAT HE HAS SOLD HIS BUSINESS, THE ENGEL AGENCY INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE IN MAQUOKETA, TO JENNIFER MACHANDE WHO HAS WORKED FOR HIM THE PAST 7 YEARS.      SHE WILL KEEP OPERATING UNDER THE
ENGEL AGENCY NAME.       HE HAS ALSO SOLD HIS HOME IN MAQUOKETA AND
HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE MOVED TO FLORIDA.      HIS PARENTS, BOB AND BEV
ENGEL STARTED THE ENGEL AGENCY AROUND 40 YEARS AGO.  
BOB AND BEV, RETIRED,  LIVE IN MAQUOKETA DURING THE WARM MONTHS AND LIVE
IN FLORIDA DURING THE COLD MONTHS.

WORK CONTINUED TODAY ON REMOVING THE DEBRIS OF THE CORNER BUILDING DOWNTOWN, WHICH WAS TORN DOWN YESTERDAY.    TOMORROW, I WILL TRY
TO HAVE ANOTHER PHOTO OF THE SITE.

IN SPORTS, BOTH THE MCHS BOYS AND GIRLS BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL TEAMS PLAYED AT WILLIAMSBURG YESTERDAY.
THE  BOYS LOST THEIR FIRST GAME 12 TO 11 AND WON THE SECOND GAME,
7 TO 6, IN THE 8TH INNING.   IN  HIGH SCHOOL, A REGULATION GAME IS 7 INNINGS.
THE GIRLS BEAT WILLIAMSBURG 6 TO 1....JUST ONE GAME.   THE CARDINAL
GALS ARE NOW 11 AND 1 OVERALL AND 6 AND 1 IN THE WAMAC.

HAPPY TRAILS.

DENNIS VOY
MEET ONE OF THE NEWEST DOCTORS IN THE U.S.A.  
HE'S DOCTOR JUSTIN HEPKER, A GRADUATE OF
MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL AND OHIO STATE
MED SCHOOL IN COLUMBUS, OHIO,
SON OF LEIGHTON AND CINDY HEPKER
OF MAQUOKETA.   GOT HIS DIPLOMA  A WEEK AGO.
WILL DO HIS INTERNSHIP STARTING IN JULY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-CHICAGO HOSPITAL.    THEN ON
TO AN EMERGENY ROOM SOMEWHERE .. HE WILL BE AN
ER DOCTOR....AND A GOOD ONE!     CONGRATULATIONS AND
GOOD LUCK TO JUSTIN.     STILL SINGLE TOO.  
CLICK-ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT....THEN CLICK-ON THE
LARGER PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT MORE.
DENNIS VOY

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY TODAY...HIGH OF 80.   NICE BREEZE.
REST OF WEEK SHOULD BE PRETTY GOOD.

THEY STARTED HAULING THE CORNER BUILDING DEBRIS AWAY THIS AFTERNOON.
SEE PHOTOS BEFORE IT WAS COMPLETELY DOWN.

AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, THE BUILDING THAT WAS PECKOSH LAW OFFICE, AND WILL SOON BE A COFFEE SHOP.....IS TODAY GETTING A NEW PAINT JOB...
GOING FROM GREEN TO RED.

AN 18 YEAR OLD SAVANNA, ILLINOIS MAN WAS KILLED AS THE RESULT OF A  CAR-ATV ACCIDENT AT 8:15 LAST NIGHT, NORTHEAST OF MILES.      HE WAS DRIVING THE ATV AND THE CAR WAS DRIVEN BY A MILES MAN AND THE TWO COLLIDED AT THE CREST OF A HILL.    THE ATV CAUGHT FIRE UPON IMPACT.       THE DRIVER OF THE 95 PONTIAC WAS NOT HURT.

TODAY BOWMAN OF MAQUOKETA  GOT 1,588  VOTES.....BRIAN MOORE OF ZWINGLE, 714.....ED O'NEILL OF CLINTON GOT 230 VOTES AND PAUL FELLER OF CLINTON, 54 VOTES..... IN YESTERDAY'S DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY ELECTION.      BOWMAN WILL FACE REPUBLICAN ANDREW NAEVE IN NOVEMBER AND THE WINNER WILL REPLACE
SENTATOR ROGER STEWART OF PRESTON IN THE IOWA SENATE.   

FORMER GOV. TERRY BRANSTAD WON THE REPUBLICAN CONTEST FOR GOVERNOR
AND WILL NOW RUN AGAINST GOVERNOR CULVER  IN NOVEMBER.    BRANSTAD
SERVED FOR 5 TERMS BEFORE.       ROXANNE CONLIN, A DES MOINES ATTORNEY,
WON THE DEMOCRATIC CONTEST FOR U.S. SENATOR AND WILL OPPOSE LONGTIME
SENATOR GRASSLEY IN NOVEMBER.      THAT SHOULD BE AN INTERESTING RACE.
CONLIN RAN FOR GOVERNOR YEARS AGO,  HAS A LOT OF MONEY SHE CAN SPEND ON HER CAMPAIGN AND WILL BE TRYING TO BE IOWA'S FIRST U.S. SENATOR.
AND, IF THEY GENERAL ELECTION WOULD BE HELD NOW, BRANSTAD WOULD
PROBABLY DEFEAT CULVER.    THIS WILL ALSO BE AN INTERESTING RACE.

FATHER'S DAY IS GETTING CLOSE!     GET THAT CARD YET?

DENNIS VOY
IT'S DOWN!
WHEN DRIVING BY, I NOTICED THAT PART OF EAST WALL APPARENTLY FELL AGAINST THE GREEN BUILDING ABOVE AND DID SOME DAMAGE TO IT.
NOW, MORE HAULING AWAY AND THEN STILL A BETTER LOOK TO THE CORNER.
WON'T BE LONG AND THE EMPTY CORNER WILL BE READY TO SHOW TO
POTENTIAL BUYERS.
DENNIS VOY
9:30 THIS MORNING AND THE BUILDING IS COMING DOWN QUICKLY WITH
NO PROBLEMS!      TWO MORE PHOTOS BELOW....CLICK ON THESE PHOTOS
TO ENLARGE THEM!
DENNIS VOY
IT IS GOING TO BE A BIG EMPTY CORNER!
MANY PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THE DEMOLITION DOWNTOWN.
CLICK-ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM.
DENNIS VOY
GOOD MORNING!     THE SUN IS SHINING IN MAQUOKETA.    THIS PHOTO TAKEN
MINUTES AGO SHOWS THAT THE DEMOLITION HAS BEGUN ON THE CORNER
BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA.      IT HAS BEEN THERE OVER  A HUNDRED YEARS.      FOR MANY YEARS, IT WAS THE HOME OF RINGLEP HARDWARE.
THEN KENDALL MEN'S WEAR.   ALSO LATER THE BOOK DEPOT AND A SCRAPBOOK
STORE.      IT WAS DAMAGED DURING THE FIRE TWO YEARS AGO AND HAD TO COME
DOWN.    TODAY IS THE DAY.   I'LL HAVE MORE PHOTOS LATER TODAY.
THAT CORNER IS REALLY GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT TONIGHT.

AND....TOD BOWMAN WAS A BIG WINNER YESTERDAY IN THE ELECTION.    IN THE
4-WAY RACE FOR DEMOCRAT SENATE SEAT VACATED BY RETIRING SENATOR
ROGER STEWART, TOD WON IN ALL 3 COUNTIES AND HAD A TWO TO ONE VICTORY OVER NEAREST CHALLENGER, BRIAN MOORE OF ZWINGLE.    HE WORKED
HARD.     ESPECIALLY IN DOOR TO DOOR CAMPAIGNING. 
CONGRATULATIONS TOD.

A BAD HEAD-ON ACCIDENT LAST NIGHT IN JACKSON COUNTY NEAR MILES AND ONE PERSON IS DEAD.     NAME NOT BEING RELEASED AT THIS TIME, PENDING NOTIFICATION OF NEXT OF KIN. 

YESTERDAY'S FRIDAY REPORT IS BELOW, AND ALSO SOME PHOTOS.

HAVE A GOOD WEDNESDAY....

KEEP CHECKING FOR THE LATEST IN MAQUOKETA.

DENNIS VOY

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

IT RAINED IN MAQUOKETA THIS MORNING.     NOW..AT 2...IT HAS STOPPED AND
WE HAVE CLOUDY SKIES AND ITS A LITTLE WINDY.     WE ARE IN THE 60'S.     MORE RAIN POSSIBLE TONIGHT BUT NO RAIN  AND MUCH WARMER TOMORROW.

THE FRIENDS OF THE  MAQUOKETA CAVES STATE PARK GROUP HAS WRITTEN A LETTER TO RICH LEOPOLD, DIRECTOR OF THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATAURAL RESOURCES SHARING THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE CLOSURE OF THE CAVES.
THE CLOSING WAS PART OF AN EFFORT TO STOP THE SPREAD OF A FUNGUS WHICH WAS KILLING BATS.     IN THE LETTER, SIGNED BY THE GROUP'S PRESIDENT SANDRA GERLACH, THE NEED FOR THE CLOSURE IS QUESTIONED.     IN HER LETTER, GERLACH STATED THE CLOSING HAS HAD AN IMMEDIATE AND DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE PARK ATTENDANCE AND THE ECONOMY OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY TOURISM INDUSTRY.      GERLACH TOLD LEOPOLD THAT THE PUBLIC ASSUMES BECAUSE THE CAVES ARE CLOSED, THE ENTIRE PARK IS CLOSED.     THE LETTER GOES ON TO SAY THAT COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF SCOUT GROUPS FROM THE ILLOWA BOY SCOUT COUNCIL USE THE GROUP CAMP SITES NEARLY EVERY WEEKEND, BUT SINCE THE CLOSING OF THE CAVES, THEY HAVE VANISHED.    THE FRIENDS GROUP IS URGING THE DNR TO RE-OPEN THE CAVES UNTIL A BETTER SCIENTIFIC DATA IS COLLECTED ON THE WHITE NOSE BAT SYNDROME ISSUE

AT A SPECIAL JACKSON COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD MEETING LAST NIGHT, THE BOARD VOTED 5 TO 0 TO HIRE OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL TO PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH EMPLOYMENT ADVICE IN LIGHT OF THE ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST
CONSERVATION BOARD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DARYL PARKER.      THE BOARD
WILL HIRE LANE AND WATERMAN OF DAVENPORT.
IN A RELATED NOTE, A JOINT INFORMATIONAL MEETING OF THE TWO BOARDS
SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE COURTHOUSE HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
THE CONSERVATION BOARD SENT A LETTER TO THE SUPERVISORS TODAY PROVIDING THEM WITH INFORMATION TAKEN AT THEIR RECENT SPECIAL MEETING.
COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRIS RAKER SAID THE SUPERVISORS RECEIVED WHAT THEY
NEEDED TO KNOW AND AGREED TO CANCEL THE MEETING.    IT WAS ALSO REVEALED THAT DARYL PARKER'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY DISCUSSED A POSSIBLE LAWSUIT IF THE PRIVACY OF HIS CLIENT WAS VIOLATED AT THE MEETING.   SO AGAIN, THE MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

SACRED HEART SCHOOL IN MAQUOKETA HAS STARTED A SEARCH FOR A NEW PRINCIPAL.   SISTER SHIRLEY STEINES SUBMITTED A LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO THE BOARD LAST WEEK.    SHE HAS HAD THE POSITION FOR 3 YEARS.    SISTER
STEINES, ORIGINALLY FROM THE SPRINGBROOK AREA, HAS NO IMMEDIATE PLANS BUT SAID SHE NEEDS TO CUT BACK IN HER DAILY ACTIVITIES, SAYING SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE ENERGY SHE ONCE HAD.    SACRED  HEART IS PRE-SCHOOL THROUGH
SIXTH GRADE.

AT LAST NIGHT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE CITY OF MAQUOKETA WILL BE WORKING ON AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL WITH PACIFIC COAST FEATHER COMPANY OF MAQUOKETA TO KEEP THE LONG TIME INDUSTRY IN THE CITY.    THE AWARD OF INCENTIVES WOULD BE IN EXCHANGE FOR THE COMPANY'S COMMITTMENT TO PURCHASE AND IMPROVE IT'S BUILDING AND CREATE AND RETAIN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF JOBS.    ABOUT 150 NOW WORK THERE.

LUCILLE REINDORP, 91 OF ALBUQUERQUE DIED SATURDAY AT HER HOME.
SHE WAS BORN IN MAQUOKETA.     WORKED IN THE ASSEMBLY LINE AT CLINTON ENGINES FOR 19 YEARS.      SURVIVORS INCLUDE 1 DAUGHTER, KAY.....TWO SONS, CLEO AND CARLYLE KEENEY.....9 GRAND CHILDREN AND A BROTHER, LARRY SPECHT.   SERVICES WILL BE FRIDAY IN ALBUQUERQUE.

LAST NIGHT IN SOFTBALL, THE MAQUOKETA GIRLS DEFEATED WESTERN DUBUQUE TWICE, HERE IN TOWN.   THEY ARE DOING WELL WITH ONLY 1 LOSS.  
THE BOYS BASEBALL TEAM LOST  BOTH OF THEIR GAMES HERE, ALSO TO
WESTERN DUBUQUE.    THE SECOND GAME WENT 8 INNINGS.    DESPITE THE TWO LOSSES, THEY STILL HAVE A WINNING RECORD.

THANKS FOR THE  VISIT.

CHECK THE NEW PHOTOS BELOW.

DENNIS VOY
THE BIGGER FIRE STATION MENT LOTS OF ROOM FOR THE ANNUAL BREAKFAST LAST SUNDAY AT THE MAQUOKETA FIRE STATION.      FIREMEN STARTED GETTING
READY FOR THE BREAKFAST BEFORE SUN UP.     NEVER HEARD THE FINAL
COUNT, BUT SURE IT WAS AROUND A THOUSAND.    GOOD JOB FIREMEN!
CLICK-ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE, TWICE EVEN LARGER.
DENNIS VOY
THE FIREMEN'S BREAKFAST IN MAQUOKETA SATURDAY WAS ANOTHER BIG
HIT.    GOOD FOOD.   GREAT TURNOUT.     CLICK-ON AGAIN AND EVEN LARGER.
DENNIS VOY
KMAQ NEWS DIRECTOR SHERI MELVOLD DANCING WITH HER SON TIM AT
TIM AND HILLARY'S WEDDING RECEPTION SATURDAY AT A NEW FACILITY
ON THE KIRKWOOD CAMPUS IN CEDAR RAPIDS.    BEAUTIFUL WEDDING!
CLICK-ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT.    SEE PHOTO OF TIM AND HILLARY BELOW!
DENNIS VOY
MR. AND MRS. TIM MELVOLD AND THE FIRST DANCE AT THIER
WEDDING RECEPTION IN CEDAR RAPIDS SATURDAY.    TIM WAS
A STUDENT ANNOUNCER AT KMAQ FROM 1999  -  2003.
DENNIS VOY

Monday, June 07, 2010

PARTLY SUNNY TODAY...HIGH OF 78.
RAIN IN FORECAST TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.
DRY AND HOT WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

IT IS OFFICIAL!    IT WAS A TORNADO!      WEATHER EXPERTS SAY IT WAS AN EF-1
TORNADO THAT STRUCK THE NORTHERN PART OF MAQUOKETA SATURDAY
NIGHT.      ANDY ERVIN, A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEROLOGIST IN
DAVENPORT HAS MADE THAT DETERMINATION.    THE TORNADO WAS ESTIMATED
TO BE 150 YARDS WIDE.    IT TRAVELED ABOUT 2.25 MILES WITH WIND SPEEDS
ESTIMATED AT 105 MILES PER HOUR.  

THE MAQUOKETA CITY COUNCIL MEETS TONIGHT AT 7.
ON THE AGENDA......REPAIRS TO THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT MAIN AND PLATT WHICH
HAVE NOT BEEN WORKING FOR OVER A WEEK. 

THEY STARTED WORK ON THE DOWNTWON CORNER BUILDING, WHICH WILL BE TAKEN DOWN SOON.     NOT MUCH DONE YET, BUT WORK  HAS STARTED.
AND, THEY STARTED HAULING IN BLACK DIRT TODAY TO SPREAD OVER THE
FILL SO WE CAN HAVE A GREEN SPACE THIS SUMMER WHERE THE BURNED OUT
BUILDINGS  WERE.

THANKS AGAIN THIS YEAR TO AASE AND RICHARDT JOHANSEN  OF DENMARK
FOR SENDING $10.00 TO BUY TWO ROTARY DUCKS FOR THE JUNE 21ST RACE.
THEY HAVE BEEN  TO THE USA  AND  MAQUOKETA  A  COUPLE TIMES, VISITING FORMER MAQUOKETA RESIDENTS JERRY AND DOROTHY RASMUSSEN.
THE ROTARY APPRECIATES YOUR SUPPORT AASE AND RICHARDT!    THEY
ARE REGULAR READERS OF THIS DAILY REPORT.    THEY LIKED MAQUOKETA
ON THEIR VISITS AND LIKE TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT IS  HAPPENING HERE.

AND...THAT CONCLUDES MY "HAPPENINGS" FOR TODAY.

DENNIS VOY

Sunday, June 06, 2010

A BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY IN MAQUOKETA...SUNNY AND IN THE 70'S.

THE CLEAN-UP WORK STARTED THIS MORNING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MAQUOKETA
FOLLOWING LAST NIGHT'S SMALL TORNADO.
IT PASSED OVER PERSHING ROAD AROUND 7:40 P.M.   IT CAME IN FROM THE WEST AND SWOOPED DOWN ON THE HILLSIDE MOBILE HOME COURT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE UNITED LIVESTOCK LARGE SALE BARN.
AT HILLSIDE, EVERY ONE OF THE DOZEN OR SO TRAILERS HAD SOME DAMAGE DONE TO THEM.    ALSO TREES FELL ON  A COUPLE CARS.
TWO MOBILE HOMES ARE UN-FIXABLE AND THE OTHERS WILL NEED REPAIRS TO ROOF, SIDING OR WINDOWS, OR ALL THREE.
A MOTHER AND HER 8 YEAR OLD SON WAS THE ONLY PERSON TO GET INJURED FROM FLYING DEBRIS IN THE HOME AFTER A HOLE HAD BEEN RIPPED IN THE SIDE OF THE HOME.    THAT BOY HAD CUTS TO HIS FEET THAT REQUIRED STITCHES.     HE WAS TREATED AND RELEASED AT THE
LOCAL HOSPITAL.    THERE WERE TREES AND BRANCHES ALL OVER THE  MOBILE HOME PARK, OWNED BY KEN MOORE.     GIL BURG TREE REMOVAL SERVICE WAS HIRED BY MOORE AND STARTED WITH A CREW THIS MORNING.    ELECTRICITY WAS SHUT OFF LAST NIGHT AND RESIDENTS COULD NOT SLEEP IN THEIR HOME
UNTIL THE PARK COULD BE CHECKED-OVER THIS MORNING.    SOME RESIDENTS
WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK INTO THEIR HOME TODAY AND OTHERS WILL HAVE
TO WAIT UNTIL REPAIRS ARE MADE.
WHAT HAPPED AT THE SMALL MOBILE  HOME COURT ALSO HAPPENED TWO BLOCKS EAST AT THE LARGER TIMBER CITY COURT.   IT TOO HAD DOWNED TREES AND BRANCHES.   THAT COURT HOLDS ABOUT 50 HOMES.    IT WAS ALSO SHUT DOWN FOR THE NIGHT.   
ALSO HIT  HARD BY THE STORM WAS THE DUB ROMER HOME AND BUILDINGS ON PERSHING ROAD JUST EAST OF THE TWO MOBILE HOME PARKS.     HIS HOME ON THE  HILL HAD A PORCH WITH LARGE COLUMNS AND IT WAS TORN FROM THE
MAIN STRUCTURE.   THE ROOF ABOVE THE PORCH WAS TORN AWAY FROM THE
HOME.    AND A COUPLE SHEDS NEARBY WERE LEVELED OR EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED.
ROMER WAS HOME AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE AREA, HE HEARD THE LOUD NOISE LIKE A LOCOMOTIVE WHEN THE TORNADO PASSED.    
THE AMERCAN RED CROSS CAME IN TO SET UP HOUSING FOR THOSE IN THE MOBILE HOMES.
JUST EAST OF ROMER'S HOME ON PERSHING, INCLUDING IN FRONT OF CARDINAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LOTS OF TREES  OR BRANCHES DOWN.
THE  AREA ON PERSHING THAT WAS HIT WAS BOUT 4 OR 5 BLOCKS LONG.    AFTER THAT DISTANCE,THE TORNADO THEN LIFTED AND HEADED EASTERLY.
THE SIREN NEVER SOUNDED AHEAD OF THE TORNADO.   POLICE CHIEF BRAD KORANDA SAID THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED NO ADVANCE WARNING ON THE TORNADO SO NO SIREN WAS SOUNDED.   THEN AS SOON AS IT WAS REPORTED AND HAD HIT, THE SIRENS WERE ACTIVATED.     ACTIVATED ALSO
IN PRESTON AND DELMAR AND OTHER CLINTON AND JACKSON COUNTY  TOWNS
THAT THEN RECEIVED THE TORNADO WARNING FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE..    NO DAMAGE ESTIMATE ON THE STORM WAS AVAILABLE THIS MORNING
BUT WILL RUN INTO MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
WAS IT A REAL TORNADO??    EXPERTS WERE IN TOWN THIS MORNING TO TRY AND
MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.  KMAQ NEWS HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR DECISION WAS BUT MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE OBSERVED STORMS BEFORE WERE SURE THIS MORNING THAT LAST NIGHTS STORM WAS INDEED A SMALL
TORNADO.
TV STATIONS WERE IN TOWN THIS MORNING TO DO INTERVIEWS AND BUMPER TO BUMPER CARS DROVE PERSHING ROAD TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE.
MAQUOKETA WAS A BUSY PLACE THIS MORNING AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
THAT ATTENDED THE FIREMEN'S BREAKFAST THIS MORNING HAD MUCH TO TALK ABOUT.     FIREMEN WERE BUSY UNTIL LATE LAST NIGHT AT THE MOBILE  HOME
PARKS AND THEN MANY WERE AT THE STATION BEFORE SUNRISE THIS MORNING
PREPARING FOR MAQUOKETA'S LARGEST COMMUNITY BREAKFAST OF THE
YEAR.    
IN CONCLUSION, IT WAS A BAD TORNADO OR STORM LAST NIGHT!    COULD
HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.....AND THANKFULLY, NO ONE WAS KILLED AND 
THERE WAS JUST ONE MINOR INJURY.
I TOOK SOME PHOTOS LATE THIS MORNING....BELOW.     CLICK-ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM.....CLICK TWICE TO ENLARGE THEM EVEN MORE.
DENNIS VOY
A GARAGE ON DUB ROMER'S  GROUNDS.
THIS IS DUB ROMER'S HOUSE.    THE FRONT PORCH, WITH THE COLUMNS ON IT
(ONE SHOWN HERE) ....GONE.    THE PORCH DATED BACK TO 1910.

Saturday, June 05, 2010

A SMALL TORNADO PASSED OVER THE NORTH EDGE OF MAQUOKETA AROUND
7:40 TONIGHT.    IT DID LOTS OF DAMAGE TO TWO MOBILE HOME PARKS.
I TALKED TO TOM MARLOWE,  WHO LIVES IN ONE OF THE TRAILERS AND HE TOLD
ME IT STARTED RAINING, THEN BEGAN TO RAIN VERY HARD AND THEN SUDDENLY,
THERE WAS LOTS OF NOISE FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS AS THE TORNADO
PASSED OVER.   IT APPARTENTLY CAME QUICKLY AND THERE WAS NO TIME
TO ALERT RESIDENTS WITH THE SIREN.    THE SIREN WAS SOUNDED AFTER THE
TORNADO HIT.      THE HILLSIDE MOBILE HOME COURT,  IS LOCATED ON NORTH MATTESON, JUST OFF PERSHING ROAD AND DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE LARGE UNITED LIVESTOCK AUCTION BUILDING.      WHEN TOM MARLOWE CAME OUTSIDE OF HIS LARGE TRAILER, HE NOTICED THE DAMAGE WAS EVERYWHERE IN THE 13 UNIT COURT.    TWO TRAILERS WERE BLOWN OVER.    AND THOSE  HAPPENED TO BE THE TWO THAT WERE NOT BEING LIVED IN AT THE PRESENT TIME.     OTHER TRAILERS WERE DAMAGED BY TREES OR TREE BRANCHES THAT FELL ON TOP OF THE HOMES.      ANOTHER MOBILE HOME HAD ONE SIDE TORN APART.     AND,  IN ONE HOME, A MOTHER AND HER 8  YEAR OLD BOY WERE HIT AFTER  A WINDOW WAS BLOWN IN,  CAUSING THINGS TO FLY INSIDE THE HOME.    THE BOY WAS TAKEN TO THE MAQUOKETA HOSPITAL AND RECEIVED 4 STICHES TO HIS FOOT AND THEN RELEASED.      ALL HILLSIDE MOBILE HOMES WERE EVACUATED AND POWER TO THE PARK WAS CUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW WHEN....
IN THE DAYLIGHT.... THE DAMAGES  CAN BE BETTER DETERMINED.  
THE OTHER TRAILER COURT, A LARGER ONE KNOWN AS TIMBER CITY TRAILER PARK, IS LOCATED  ABOUT A COUPLE BLOCKS EAST OF THE HILLSIDE COURT, AND JUST OFF PERSHING ROAD.
IT TOO HAD LOTS OF TREES  DOWN AND DAMAGE TO SEVERAL HOMES.   POLICE
EVACUATED ALL THE HOMES AND CLOSED THE PARK DOWN FOR THE NIGHT.     THE MOBLE HOMES THERE APPEARED TO HAVE LESS DAMAGE THAN THOSE IN THE HILLSIDE COURT.
ALSO ON PERSHING ROAD, A STORAGE BUILDING LOCATED ON THE DUB ROMER PROPERTY HAD EXTENSIVE ROOF DAMAGE.
ASSISTING AT THE SCENE AT BOTH MOBILE HOME COURTS WERE MEMBERS OF THE MAQUOKETA FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHERIFF'S OFFICE
AND  THE MAQUOKETA MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC  LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY. 

KMAQ NEWS EXPECTS TO HEAR OF MORE DAMAGE IN THE COUNTY TOMORROW,
SO CHECK BACK TOMORROW TO FIND OUT ANY NEW INFORMATION ON THE
TORNADO.
THE PHOTO ABOVE IS QUITE DARK, BUT YOU CAN SEE A COUPLE OF THE HOMES AND THE TREES ON THE GROUND.   CLICK-ON THE PHOTO ENLARGE IT.  CLICK A SECOND TIME TO ENLARGE IT MORE.

DENNIS VOY

Friday, June 04, 2010

GOOD NEWS FROM THE HURSTVILLE!     THERE HAS BEEN A POPULATION EXPULSION AT HURSTVILLE.     EIGHT BABY TRUMPETER SWANS (CYGNETS) HAVE HATCHED AT THE HURSTVILLE INTERPRETIVE CENTER JUST NORTH OF MAQUOKETA.    THE CYGNETS AND THEIR PARENTS ARE PART OF THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TRUMPETER SWAN REINTRODUCTION PROGRAM.   THE BABIES HATCHED WEDNESDAY.      VISITORS CAN VIEW THE ACTIVITIES OF THE FAMILY FROM A SPOTTING SCOPE ON THE EAST DECK OF THE CENTER.   VISITORS ARE ASKED NOT TO APPROACH THE FENCE TO VIEW THE  SWANS.    CLOSE APPROACHES WILL AGITATE THE ADULTS AND DISRUPT THE CYGNETS RESTING AND FEEDING TIMES.  THE CYGNETS WILL STAY FOR THE SUMMER LEARNING WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN AND THEN WILL BE RELEASED INTO THE WILD NEXT SPRING.     WHENEVER YOU COME TO VISIT MAQUOKETA, BE SURE YOU VISIT THE HURSTVILLE CENTER AND THE
WILDLIFE AREA SURRONDING IT.    NO ADMISSION.  OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK.   ADULTS AND KIDS CAN SPEND UP TO AN HOUR OR MORE  VIEWING MANY INTERESTING
THINGS ABOUT THE IOWA GREAT OUTDOORS.     BECAUSE OF THE NEW SWAN RESIDENTS, SWAN FEATHERS ARE ON DISPLAY AND A TAPE RECORDING CAN BE HEARD OF SWAN SOUNDS.
DENNIS VOY

Thursday, June 03, 2010

NICE TODAY.   NICE YESTERDAY.

HAD A GOOD TIME AT CHICAGO  YESTERDAY WITH A KMAQ TRAVEL FULL BUS TO SEE THE "MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET" AT THE APOLLO THEATRE.    IT'S THE STORY OF A
1956 JAM SESSION FEATURING JOHNNY CASH, JERRY LEE LEWIS,   CARL PERKINS AND
ELVIS.    THE SINGER THAT PLAYED JERRY LEE LEWIS WAS THE BEST, LANCE LIPINSKY.
OTHERS WERE GOOD ALSO.   THANKS TO ALL THAT WENT.     ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE TRAFFIC AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION GETTING OUT OF CHICAGO....CAUSING US A DELAY OF 2-HOURS GETTING HOME.

NANCY AND I ARE GOING TO A WEDDING SATURDAY, IN CEDAR RAPIDS.    FORMER
KMAQ STUDENT ANNOUNCER  (AND SON OF KMAQ NEWS DIRECTOR SHERI  MELVOLD) TIM MELVOLD GETS MARRIED TO HILLARY WADDELL OF CEDAR RAPIDS.    TIM'S DAD  IS DOUG MELVOLD AND HIS GRANDMOTHER IS FRANCIS MELVOLD, BOTH OF  MAQUOKETA SENTINEL-PRESS FAME.     HILLARY GRADUATED AT CLARKE COLLEGE IN DUBUQUE  AND TIM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE.   SHE TEACHES HERE IN MAQUOKETA AND TIM IS AN ADMISSIONS COUNSELOR AT UD AND THEY HAVE PURCHASED A HOME IN DUBUQUE.     CONGRATULATIONS TIM AND
HILLARY!

WITH LEIGHTON HEPKER GONE THIS WEEK AND SHERI ALSO GONE,  BUSY GETTING READY FOR  THE WEDDING, THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD GET OUT OF HERE AND GO TO COLUMBUS, OHIO AND JOIN CINDY AND LEIGHTON (AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS) AT JUSTIN HEPKER'S GRADUATION FROM THE MEDICAL COLLEGE AT OHIO UNIVERSITY.   I AM JUSTIN'S GODFATHER AND DARN PROUD OF THE NEW DOCTOR HEPKER.       CONGRATULATIONS JUSTIN!     HE BEGINS HIS INTERNSHIP FOR 3 YEARS AS AN ER DOCTOR FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-CHICAGO HOSPITAL NOT FAR FROM THE LAKE.

THANKS TO ARNOLD KORANDA  OF DADE CITY, FLORIDA AND FORMERLY OF
MAQUOEKTA, FOR BUYING TWO ROTARY DUCKS WHEN HOME LAST WEEK.
HE WAS HERE TO SEE HIS GRANDDAUGTHER BROOKLYN KORANDA GRADUATE FROM MCHS AND ALSO SEE HER PITCH FOR THE MAQUOKETA GIRL'S SOFTBALL TEAM.      ARNOLD AND HIS WIFE SUE ARE PLANNING TO COME BACK TO TOWN IN JULY FOR A LITTLE LONGER STAY. 

IN GIRL'S SOFTBALL LAST NIGHT, THE CARDINAL GIRLS BEAT BENTON COMMUNITY TWICE AND REMAIN UNDEFEATED.    IN GAME 1 LAST NIGHT, THE CARDS WON
12 TO 0.    KELSEY BOLLMAN HIT A GRAND SLAM HOMER AND HAILEY BICKFORD
PITCHED WITH 7 STRIKEOUTS.     IN GAME 2, MAQUOKETA WON 5 TO 1 AND BROOKE KORANDA PITCHED AND GOT 9 STRIKEOUTS.

THE BOYS ARE ALSO UNDEFEATED.    TUESDAY NIGHT, THE BEAT DEWITT
5 TO 1 IN GAME ONE AND GAME TWO WAS SUSPENDED IN THE TOP OF THE 4TH BECAUSE OF STORMY WEATHER.    DEWITT WAS AHEAD THEN 8 TO 7  AND THE GAME WILL BE COMPLETED AT A LATER DATE.

TOMORROW NIGHT IS "PACK THE STANDS" NIGHT AT  THE MAQUOKETA  HIGH
SCHOOL BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL DIAMONDS, AS BOTH TEAMS HOST MIDLAND OF WYOMING.    THE BOYS GAME STARTS AT 5:30 AND THE GIRLS AT 6:00.
LOTS OF FUN THINGS ARE PLANNED    TRY AND MAKE IT.

CHECK OUT THE NEW PHOTOS BELOW.

DENNIS VOY
THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN EARLIER THIS WEEK IN FRONT OF THE GRAND STAIRWAY
AT THE HISTORIC DECKER HOTEL (1876)  THAT IS NOW UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP.
THE NEW OWNERS ARE MATT AND LISA MILLEN, AT RIGHT.     ON LEFT, TROY AND
RAEANN THEDE, WHO HAD OWNED THE DECKER FOR  AROUND 19 YEARS.
BACK IN MAY ON THIS DAILY REPORT, YOU WILL FIND A PHOTO OF THE  DECKER AND MORE INFORMATION ON THE SALE, IF YOU MISSED IT THEN.   CLICK-ON PHOTO
TO ENLARGE IT.
DENNIS VOY
DENNIS ANDERSON OF MAQUOKETA (A FORMER MANAGER OF THE WAL MART
STORE HERE) RECENTLY MOVED HIS STORE FROM NORTH JONES IN MAQUOKETA TO
A VACANT BUILDING IN THE LITTLE JACKSON COUNTY TOWN OF CANTON, LOCATED
ALONG THE MAQUOKETA RIVER.     HE BOUGHT THE BUILDING AND HAS DONE
EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS ALREADY INSIDE AND ON THE GROUNDS AND MORE ARE
PLANNED.     I'M SURE CANTON AREA RESIDENTS ARE,  AND SHOULD BE , PROUD OF THEIR NEW CONVENIENCE STORE, VIDEO RENTALS, AND CANOE RENTALS.
IN THIS PHOTO, TWO EMPLOYEES.   ON THE LEFT IS DENNIS' DAUGHTER.
THIS FORMER RESTAUANT BUILDING AND TAVERN WILL NOW BRING NEW LIFE TO
CANTON, WHICH IN THE VERY EARLY DAYS OF JACKSON COUNTY, BEFORE THE
RAILROAD CAME, WAS THE BIGGEST CITY IN JACKSON COUNTY.   CLICK-ON THE
PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT.
DENNIS VOY