PRESTON GOT 7 INCHES.
AND THE QUAD CITIES GOT A LOT TOO.
WE WERE LUCKY.
NICE DAY TODAY.
A 22-YEAR-OLD FORMER MAQUOKETA RESIDENT REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION IN A MINNEAPOLIS HOSPITAL FOLLOWING A 40-FOOT FALL ON FRIDAY, JUNE 26TH. HE IS LUKE KUTSCH, A MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATE AND SON OF DON AND REBECCA KUTSCH OF RURAL MAQUOKETA. ACCORDING TO A MINNEAPOLIS NEWSPAPER STORY, RESCUE
CREWS WERE DISPATCHED EARLY ON FRIDAY, JUNE 26TH, TO RESCUE KUTSCH WHO HAD FALLEN IN THE AN ABANDONED MINNEAPOLIS GRAIN
ELEVATOR. HE FELL THROUGH A HOLE IN THE FLOOR AND LANDED ON A FLOOR BELOW ACCORDING TO THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF. THE 40-FOOT
FALL HAPPENED INSIDE THE FORMER FRUEN MILL. HE SUFFERED A BROKEN LEG AND FACIAL ISSUES AND HAS UNDERGONE SURGERY ON HIS LEG AND JAW. LUKE KUTSCH AND HIS FRIENDS AND MINNEAPOLIS ROOMMATES, ADAM PAULUS AND MARSHALL HAWKS, BOTH ALSO FORMER
MAQUOKETA RESIDENTS, WERE WITH HIM AND THE THREE WENT TO THE
FORMER GRAIN MILL TO CHECK OUT THE VIEW FROM THE TOP. PAULUS AND HAWKS BOTH TOLD THE NEWSPAPER THAT THEY HAD EXPLORED THE MILL BEFORE BUT IT WAS KUTSCH'S FIRST TIME. KUTSCH WENT AHEAD OF HIS FRIENDS WITHOUT A FLASHLIGHT AND THAT'S WHEN HE FELL.
HAWKS CALLED 9-1-1 AND A GROUP OF ABOUT 25 PEOPLE ARRIVED TO ASSIST IN THE RESCUE WHICH TOOK AN HOUR TO ACCOMPLISH.
THE ABANDONED MILL HAS BROKEN WINDOWS, BOARDED-UP DOORS AND WALLS WITH GRAFFITI. IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE AREA. MINNEAPOLIS POLICE REGULARLY PATROL THE AREA, BUT TRESPASSERS STILL COME BY DAY AND NIGHT. ON JUNE 6TH, A 20-YEAR OLD UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA STUDENT FELL TO HER DEATH WHEN EXPLORING THE
BUILDING LOCATED NEAR THE CAMPUS. IN 2006 A BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA MAN FELL TO HIS DEATH WHEN A CONCRETE BEAM IN THE OLD ELEVATOR GAVE WAY. LAST YEAR, IT TOOK CREWS FIVE HOURS TO RESCUE A MAN WHO FELL 60 FEET INSIDE THE MILL AND SURVIVED.
ONE BUSINESS OWNER HAS TAKEN TO SECURING THE BUILDING HIMSELF.
HE AND HIS EMPLOYEES HAVE BOARDED-UP AND PAD-LOCKED THE FORMER
MILL. BUT, CURIOUS STILL CONTINUE TO GET IN AND THE BUSINESSMAN
TOLD THE NEWSPAPER REPORTER THAT THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO.
KNOW THE REASON. I BELIEVE THERE ARE STILL MEMBERS. IT HAS THE UPSTAIRS MEETING ROOM AND DOWNSTAIRS COMMUNITY ROOM WHERE
OVER THE YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ANNUAL PANCAKE AND SAUSAGE
SUPPERS. MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE ATTENDED THESE.
LOOKS LIKE IT NEEDS SOME WORK. I HEAR THE PRICE IS LOW.
THANKS FOR THE VISIT.
DENNIS VOY
