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