ONLY 39 TODAY, BUT SUNNY AND NO WIND.
TOMORROW, 42 FOR THE HIGH.
OUR NORMAL HIGH FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR SHOULD BE IN LOW 50'S.

AT A MEETING YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AT THE HURSTVILLE INTERPRETIVE
CENTER, THE IOWA DNR TOLD ABOUT 60 IN ATTENDANCE THAT THEY
WILL AGAIN THIS YEAR, NOT ALLOW THE CAVES TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
AT THE MAQUOKETA CAVES STATE PARK. THE REASON IS THAT THERE IS FEAR
OF A SPREADING FUNGUS THAT KILLS BATS, AND THAT COULD BE CARRIED TO THE
BATS IN THE LOCAL CAVES. THE FUNGUS HASN'T BEEN FOUND IN IOWA YET,
BUT IT IS AS CLOSE AS MISSOURI. THE PARK WILL BE OPEN AGAIN THIS YEAR FOR CAMPING, HIKING, PICNICS, ETC. TROUBLE IS....IT IS THE CAVES THAT BRING IN THE BIG NUMBERS. ATTENDANCE AT THE PARK LAST YEAR WAS WAY, WAY DOWN. MOST PEOPLE HATE BATS. BUT, THEY HAVE A JOB IN LIFE, SO MUST
BE SPARED. MY GUESS IS....THE FUNGUS WILL GET INTO IOWA SOME DAY REGARDLESS.....MAYBE SEVERAL YEARS FROM NOW. MEANWHILE, WE LOOSE
OUR #1 TOURIST ATTRACTION.

THE MAQUOKETA SCHOOL BOARD MEETS TONIGHT AND THE CITY COUNCIL
ALSO HAS A SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT.

A VERY GOOD FISH FRY IS GETTING CLOSE. THE DELMAR UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH FISH FRY IS FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH AT GROSSMAN HALL IN DELMAR.
PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR. JERRY NELSON IS THEIR FISH FRY SPECIALIST.

THE MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS GOLF TEAM HAS 6 OF 7 OF THE TOP 7
GOLFERS RETURNING THIS SEASON. THEY ARE: ALEX BECK, KYLE CLARK,
CONNER TAYLOR, MATT HANSEN, TY THEDE AND BLAISE WALLER.
LOTS OF VARSITY EXPERIENCE. TERI TAYLOR AGAIN WILL COACH THE TEAM
THIS YEAR. SHOULD BE A GOOD YEAR FOR BOY'S GOLF.
THE MAQUOKETA COUNTRY CLUB GOLF COURSE IS OPEN. HAVE NOT HEARD
IF PRAIRIE CREEK IS.

IN THE 1878 HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, IT SAYS MAQUOKETA HAD
5 NEWSPAPERS, 11 BLACKSMITH SHOPS, 3 BARBER SHOPS AND 12 SALOONS.
WE HAVE TAVERNS NOW....ABOUT 3 OR 4. ANOTHER HALF DOZEN OR
SO PLACES WHERE YOU CAN BUY A BEER, BUT THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED A TAVERN.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.

DENNIS