FRIDAY DAILY REPORT

WEATHER:   BETTER TODAY, 40 DEGREES.  RAIN AND SLEET FORECAST FOR TONIGHT.    TOMORROW, BECOMING SUNNY AND HIGH OF 32 AND
SUNDAY, SUNNY WITH A HIGH OF 41.

THE JACKSON COUNTY REVOLVING LOAN FUND RECENTLY APPROVED A $120,000 FIVE YEAR LOAN TO THE JACKSON COUTY CONSERVATION BOARD.
THE MONEY WILL BE USED TO REFINANCE A LOAN FOR THE 273 ACRE BOB MARTIN PROPERTY.   THE PROPERTY WAS DONATED TO THE CONVERVATION
BOARD, BUT THERE ARE COSTS INVOLVED WITH THE PROPERTY.
NO DETAILS WERE ANNOUNCED AS TO WHAT EXACTLY THE MONEY IS OR WAS NEEDED FOR.   THE LOAN IS AT 1%  INTEREST.   IT WILL BE PAID BACK
IN $25,000 ANNUAL INSTALLMENTS BY THE BOARD.   THE BOARD HAS RENTED OUT THE CROP GROUND ON THE MARTIN PROPERTY TO THE VEACH BROTHERS FOR $26,013 A YEAR FOR A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT.    THE JACKSON COUNTY REVOLVING LOAN FUND IS AVAILABLE FOR STARTING UP OR EXPANDING A BUSINESS IN THE COUNTY.    ANYONE WANTING MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THAT FUND SHOULD CALL ROGER STEWART AT
THE MAQUOKETA STATE BANK.

THE CITY OF MAQUOKETA IS TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY WORK.   KEN WRIGHT OF MAQUOKETA HAS BEEN THE ATTORNEY FOR MANY YEARS AND IS NOT RESIGNING.   BUT, CITY OFFICIALS SAID IT WAS TIME
TO TAKE PROPOSALS FROM ANY ATTORNEYS INTERESTED.    PERIODICALLY
THE COUNCIL TAKES BIDS FOR THE LONG-TERM SERVICES.    IF THERE ARE
APPLICATIONS, THE COUNCIL STILL COULD  CONTINUE USING WRIGHT IF THE COUNCIL LIKES HIS PROPOSAL BEST.

YESTERDAY, I REPORTED ON THE  MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL BAND TRIP
TO LOUISIANA AND THE MARDI GRAS  PARADE THEY MARCHED IN DOWN IN
HOUMA, ABOUT AN HOUR SOUTHWEST OF NEW ORLEANS.   TODAY, I GOT A CALL FROM DON BANOWETZ WHO HAS LIVED IN HOUMA SINCE THE 1950'S.
HOUMA AND THE IMMEDIATE AREA HAS ABOUT 100,000 POPULATION, AND THEIR MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION IS SECOND TO NEW ORLEAN'S.
HE IS A REGULAR READER OF THIS REPORT AS MAQUOKETA IS HIS HOME TOWN.   FIRST, A LITTLE ABOUT HIM.   HE WAS BORN IN MAQUOKETA (ONE OF 15 CHILDREN) AND GRADUATED FROM MHS IN 1952.   HE SAID MAQUOKETA INSURANCE MAN BOB ENGEL WAS IN HIS CLASS.   DON AND HIS NATIVE- LOUISIANA WIFE HAVE 5 CHILDREN.    A  DAUGHTER KAY KILBURG IS A MAQUOKETA TEACHER.  ONE OF HIS BROTHERS WAS THE LATE TED BANOWETZ  AND TED WAS A LONGTIME POLKA MUSICIAN WHO WAS KNOWN AS "THE BIG FAT DUTCHMAN" AND WAS FEATURED A FEW TIMES ON KMAQ'S "POLKA PARTY".     DON SAID THE MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL  BAND LOOKED VERY GOOD IN THE 4-HOUR MARDI GRAS PARADE.    HIS SAID HIS KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS CHAPTER HOSTED THE BAND TO A CAJUN PARTY ONE NIGHT WHILE THEY WERE THERE AND ALSO HAD A PIZZA SEND-OFF FOR THE
BAND, CONSUMING 47 PIZZAS.    THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THEY HOSTED THE BAND.    THE CARDINAL BAND WAS DOWN THERE FOR THE PARADE
ABOUT 6 OR 7 YEARS AGO.

MAQUOKETA SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DR. KIM HUCKSTADT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT HE WILL SEEK THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR THE IOWA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEAT IN DISTRICT 58.   HE SAID HE IS SEEKING THE SEAT IN THE  HOUSE AT THE URGING OF MANY COLLEAGUES AND WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF HIS FAMILY.     IN HIS ANNOUNCEMENT, HE SAID HE IS INTERESTED IN SEEKING ELECTED OFFICE BECAUSE IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITIES AND THE REGION WHERE HE HAS WORKED FOR OVER THREE DECADES.    HUCKSTADT MONTHS AGO ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT AS MAQUOKETA SUPERINTENDENT AFTER A DOZEN YEARS, EFFECTIVE AT THE END OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.    THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT WAS ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK.
THE CURRENT STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT 18 IS REPUBLICAN
BRIAN MOORE AND HE ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTION TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION EARLIER THIS WEEK.

A BIRTH:  JEFF AND LORI ARMSTRONG OF COIN, IOWA ARE PARENTS OF A BOY BORN FEB. 25TH IN OMAHA.    GRANDPARENTS ARE RONNIE AND CHERYL HEINRICH OF MAQUOKETA.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND.   SOUNDS LIKE SUNDAY WILL BE  VERY NICE DAY.

DENNIS VOY