THURSDAY DAILY

29 BELOW LAST NIGHT IN MAQUOKETA

SNOWING NOW, 5 P.M..... AND AN INCH 
ON GROUND..... AND ANOTHER INCH
TONIGHT.
WARMER TOMORROW.
NO SCHOOL AGAIN TODAY AND 
WONDERING ABOUT TOMORROW?

TWO VERY GOOD MOVIES  BEING HELD
OVER AT THE VOY THEATRE FOR 2ND
WEEK.

CLICK-ON REVIEW ABOVE TO ENLARGE IT.

CLICK-ON ABOVE REVIEWS TO ENLARGE THEM.

DENNIS VOY


   

WEDNESDAY DAILY

LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE...

IT HAS BEEN VERY COLD IN MAQUOKETA.

28 BELOW THIS MORNING...

31 BELOW EXPECTED TONIGHT...

....ALL LAST WEEK, 1/2 DAY OF SCHOOL TOTAL.

NO SCHOOL THIS WEEK SO FAR...

PROBABLY NO SCHOOL TOMORROW....

WARMER WEATHER COMING FRIDAY, MAYBE AROUND  20 ABOVE....

AND FRIDAY, NOT CERTAIN ABOUT SCHOOL AT THIS TIME.

BEEN LOTS OF BLOWING SNOW TOO....AND LIKE ALWAYS,

COUNTY ROADS ARE NOT AS GOOD AS IN TOWN.

FRIDAY DAILY

THE GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SALE HAS BEEN ON FOR A WEEK ALREADY.    $4 A BOX
OR S'MORES FOR $5.
THE MONEY STAYS LOCALLY!
GIRL SCOUT LEADER LAURA WESTPHAL SAYS MAQUOKETA HAS GIRL SCOUTS
SELLING, BUT IF YOU ARE NOT CONTACTED, CALL HER AT 563-321-7924.
THE SALE CONTINUES UNTIL FEB 20.   NEAR THE END, THEY WILL BE SOLD IN A BOOTH AT THEISEN'S AND GASSER'S.    DELIVERY IS LATE IN MARCH.
BUY COOKIES AND SUPPORT THE GIRL SCOUTS.
BUY COOKIES BECAUSE THEY ARE GOOD.

STARTS TONIGHT AT THE VOY THEATRE

ALSO STARTS TONIGHT AT THE VOY.   PEOPLE HAVING BEEN ASKING FOR THIS FAMILY MOVIE

THIS MAY CHANGE...
10 A.M. TOMORROW, MAQUOKETA GIRLS HOST
DYERSVILLE.
1:30 TOMORROW, MAQUOKETA BOYS AT MARION.
GAME ON KMAQ AND HOME WEB PAGE.
4:00 P.M. TOMORROW,  GIRLS AT INDEPENDENCE.
YES, 2 GIRLS GAMES TOMORROW AND THE 4 P.M. ON
KMAQ AND HOME WEB PAGE.

DALE SCOTT IS HOPING TO GET FROM MARION
TO INDEPENDENCE TOMORROW AFTERNOON
AND DO BOTH GAMES.    THE GIRLS GAME MIGHT
BE ON JUST A LITTLE LATE.

TOMOROW AT BENTON COMMUNITY GYM, THE
WAMAC CONFERENCE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT,
STARTING AT 9 A.M.   THE CARDINAL WRESTLERS
WILL BE THERE.

CHECK BACK TO SEE IF ANY CHANGES.   THE
WEATHER COULD MAKE SOME MORE.

SPEAKING OF WEATHER, 6 MORE INCHES COMING
SUNDAY NIGHT TO MAQUOKETA AND WEDNESDAY
NIGHT, WE ARE LOOKING TO GET DOWN TO
20 BELOW.    THE WINTER WEATHER CONTINUES
THIS WEEKEND AND NEXT WEEK.

DENNIS VOY

NO THURSDAY DAILY, TOO COLD

GOING TO 15 BELOW TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY DAILY

MAYOR DON SCHWENKER SPOKE TO ROTARY

TODAY.        BIG NEWS...THE,  NOW ESTIMATED

     $11 MILLION DOLLAR RE-BUILD OF HIGHWAY 64

      THROUGH MAQUOKETA MAY NOT GET STARTED

      UNTIL 2021 AND WILL TAKE TWO, MAYBE THREE

   YEARS TO COMPLETE.    BUT IT IS NEEDED AND

WILL BE GOOD FOR MAQUOKETA.

DENNIS VOY

TUESDAY DAILY

THE CHAMBER ANNUAL MEETING WAS HELD LAST SATURDAY NIGHTAT THE CENTERSTONE INN & SUITES.    144 ATTENDED FOR DINNER,

MUSIC, AWARDS AND FUN GAMES AND RAFFLES

THERE WERE FOUR AWARDS:

ENTREPRENEUR OF  THE YEAR AWARD, SUE MAYBERRY,

OF FARMERS CREEK AND MAC'S WINE CELLAR, AND WITH HUSBAND JIM, OWNER OF MAYBERRY APPLIANCE.

ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD, DEB GERARDY, FOR HER VOLUNTEER WORK ON THE CHAMBER'S "WONDERFUL LIFE" CHRISTMAS EVENT.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S AWARD, DAVID HEIAR,

FOR HIS WORK WITH MAQUOKETA GREAT PLACES OF IOWA AND MAQUOKETA HOMETOWN PRIDE.

CHAMBER PRESIDENT'S AWARD TO THE LATE

LEIGHTON HEPKER, ACCEPTED BY GOOD FRIEND

RON BURNETT.    LEIGHTON SERVED ON CHAMBER

BOARD FOR 6 YEARS AND WAS PRESIDENT ONE YEAR.   FILE PHOTO

THE CHAMBER BOARD

FIRST ROW: ADRIENE KANE, COLLEEN SCHWENKER, BETH GERLACH

SECOND ROW:   RACHELLE ZEIMET, JENI JOOS, WENDY McCARTT, CHRIS SCHAEFER

BACK ROW:    BRADLEY YOUNG, DEB SHEA

COLLEEN SCHWENKER IS THE NEW CHAMBER PRESIDENT.

WENDY IS MANAGER.

CRIS SCHAEFER OF THE ENGLE AGENCY IS NEW BOARD MEMBER.

MOST PHOTOS BY:  STACIE CRONKELTON, "THE PHOTOGRAPHY MILL"

WEATHER:   NASTY DAY... NO SCHOOL..

MANY PLACES CLOSED..FREEZING RAIN, SNOW COMING OVERNIGHT.

DENNIS VOY

MONDAY DAILY

5 BELOW IN MAQUOKETA THIS MORNING...

THURSDAY NIGHT, WE WILL GET DOWN TO 15 BELOW.

MORE SNOW TOMORROW...A COUPLE INCHES.

DOG'S WAY HOME  STARTS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT 

AT THE VOY THEATRE

CLICK ON THE REVIEW TO ENLARGE IT

DENNIS VOY 

THURSDAY DAILY

LONGTIME BASKETBALL COACH BILL FLEMING DIED EARLY THIS MORNING
FROM A LUNG DISEASE, AT HIS HOME IN THE DES MOINES AREA.    HIS LAST
VISIT TO MAQUOKETA WAS LATE LAST YEAR WHEN HE WAS HERE TO
AUTOGRAPH HIS NEW BOOK ABOUT HIS CAREER.     HE WAS COACH IN MAQUOKETA FOR 34 YEARS BEFORE RETIRING.    HE HAD MANY VERY SUCCESSFUL SEASON WITH THE CARDINALS.    NOTHING OFFICIAL, BUT I HAVE BEEN TOLD HIS FUNERAL
AND BURIAL WILL BE HERE IN MAQUOKETA SOMETIME LATE NEXT WEEK.
I DON'T HAVE HIS AGE, BUT BELIEVE HE WAS IN THE MID TO LATE 70'S.

DENNIS VOY

WEDNESDAY DAILY

SAGE ROSENFELS GREW UP IN MAQUOKETA, WAS A GOOD  FOOTBALL PLAYER FOR THE CARDINALS, THEN STARTING QUARTERBACK ALSO FOR THE  CYCLONES AND WENT ON TO THE NFL AS A QUARTERBACK FOR  MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
HIS DAD OWNED A BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA WHILE LIVING HERE.
HE DID A NICE TRIBUTE ON FACEBOOK FOR LEIGHTON.
THIS IS IT.




Growing up in rural Jackson county in eastern Iowa, listening to KMAQ was a staple of my youth. We heard all the daily happenings in and around Maquoketa. We found out what we were expecting for weather that week. We followed Ozzie Smith and the St Louis Cardinals every afternoon in the summer time, and even occasionally bought something from the Saturday morning auction show. While driving the dark gravel roads into basketball practice at 6am, I always knew what the grain prices would be that day, even if I had no idea what that actually meant at the time.

We also tuned in to listen to many of the high school football, basketball, and baseball games in the area. The vast majority of those games were called my Leighton Hepker, who passed away this week. Leighton had a distinct voice that I can, to this day, easily recall as he described the action on various fields and gyms throughout the state of Iowa. The excitement in his voice, and the detail by which he covered the battles, no doubt helped shape my love for sports. Maybe, just maybe, Leighton would be calling my name and jersey number some day as he covered my team.

That day did come and sure enough I found myself being interviewed by Leighton with his small metal microphone and basic recording device. He never asked a bad question, understood the various sports extremely well, and always understood the fact he was interviewing a 16 or 17 year old young man, not a 10 year pro athlete.

After my high school career, I came back to Maquoketa during my college and pro career, and occasionally Leighton would overhear I was in town and invite me in for an interview. I was always amazed how much he knew about what was going on with my current team, how our division had panned out, and what the main stories were throughout the NFL. Leighton obviously loved and paid attention to sports and competition at all levels.

I saw Leighton about 18 months ago at the Maquoketa Hall of Fame induction ceremony as we were entering the Hall together. The entire evening was a step back in time for me. I ran into people I hadn’t seen since graduation. I talked to former coaches, teachers, classmates, and a bunch of wonderful folks that were a part of my youth.

I knew Leighton had been sick and it was easy to notice he had lost plenty of weight. But listening to his speech, that voice of my childhood had not changed in any way. His speech was crystal clear, well thought out, organized, sincere, and included a witty joke or two. He was extremely appreciative to have called Maquoketa his home for the past 40 years, a place he met his wife, raised their kids, and held nearly every post possible in various business and charitable organizations in town. Leighton was a Maquoketan through and through.

During his speech, I closed my eyes and his voice transformed me back 30 years. I was again in the backseat of my parents’ Volkswagen van, driving on a random dark and meandering county road somewhere. Leighton’s play by play floated through the car speakers, placing me in a raucous gym a county or two away. I’ll never forget that memory. When I think of Leighton Hepker, I will be remembering that image and his voice.

Rest In Peace Leighton. Thank you for helping describe and share those special moments from my childhood. You may be gone, but your voice will forever be etched into my memories, and the call will always be crystal clear.

-Sage Rosenfels



THE MAQUOKETA CARDINAL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM WON AGAIN LAST NIGHT AT MT. VERNON....AND ARE NOW 14 AND 0

DENNIS VOY

TUESDAY DAILY

TONIGHT..
MAQUOKETA BOYS AND GIRLS AT MT. VERNON.
BOY'S GAME FIRST AT 6.
WE GO ON THE AIR AT 5:45 WITH PRE=GAME.    DALE SCOTT AT THE MIKE.
MAQUOKETA BOYS  13 AND O...1ST IN THE STATE IN 3-A.
BETWEEN GAMES, LEIGHTON HEPKER'S LAST COACHES SHOW
INTERVIEWING  FOOTBALL COACH KEVIN BOWMAN LAST OCTOBER
THE WEEK AFTER THEY  BEAT DUBUQUE WAHLERT FOR THEIR
FIRST WIN IN TWO YEARS.

THIS THURSDAY NIGHT, 6:30...THE CARDINAL WRESTLERS HOST
DYERSVILLE AND WE GO ON-THE-AIR TO DO THE MATCHES AROUND 6:30,
WITH MR. T AND DALE SCOTT AT THE MIKE.   HERE ON WEB SITE.

YOU GUYS AND GALS DOWN SOUTH....YOU MISS OUT AGAIN, THE EXCITEMENT.
WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTION FOR SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY.
0  DEGREES SATURDAY NIGHT AND HIGH SUNDAY, 8 ABOVE.

DENNIS VOY

MONDAY DAILY

THE MAQUOKETA CARDINAL BASKETBALL TEAM IS 13 AND  0  TODAY,
AFTER WINNING TWO MORE GAMES OVER THE WEEKEND.....BEATING SOLON AND CLINTON.
THE GIRLS ALSO WON OVER SOLON FRIDAY NIGHT.

THIS SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE OHNWARD FINE ARTS
CENTER IN MAQUOKETA.


MAQUOKETA HAD NEARLY 3 INCHES OF SNOW
OVER THE WEEKEND.   MORE FELL TO SOUTH OF
US IN THE QUAD CITIES.

STARTS FRIDAY NIGHT IN MAQUOKETA.
MARY POPPINS MUST END THIS THURSDAY NIGHT
AT THE VOY THEATRE.

DENNIS VOY

THURSDAY DAILY

TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE NIGHT FOR THE 10TH
ANNUAL CAKE AUCTION, A JOINT FUND RAISER SPONSORED BY THE MAQUOKETA
ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB AND THE MAQUOKETA EDUCATION FUND.   THEY
SPLIT THE PROFITS.    THERE WAS A JAM-PACKED GYM TO WATCH THE
MAQUOKETA GIRLS PLAY THE DEWITT GIRLS AT 6  AND THE BOYS AT 8.
THE AUCTION OF DONATED CAKES WAS BETWEEN GAMES.    THE WINNING CAKE
ABOVE WAS MADE BY SHEILA LINDSTROM,  A VOLUNTEER FOR THE BOOSTER CLUB.
THE WINNING CAKE SOLD FOR $1,200 AND WAS PURCHASED BY THREE
CARDINAL FANS AND BACKERS, DARYL SCHEEPERS, REECE LINSTROM AND CHRIS
MEINECKE WHO BID THE CAKE TOGETHER.    KATHY SEYFERT, A CAKE AUCTION COMMITTEE MEMBER, SAID THE CAKE AUCTION AND SILENT AUCTION RAISED $9,000....A SCHOOL RECORD.
THE THEME OF WINNING CAKE.....GAMES.   SO THERE IS A BOARD GAME CALLED
"TROUBLE".     AND IT SAYS:   "THE SABERS ARE GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE".
KERRY SCHEPERS OF THE COMMITTEE TOLD ME THE CAKE TASTED LIKE A  MILLION BUCKS!
AND, IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT HEARD, THE CARDINAL BOYS WON THE GAME FOR
THEIR 11TH IN A ROW WITH NO LOSSES AND THEY ARE #1 IN THE STATE IN
3-A WITH THEIR PERFECT RECORD.   MATT HARTMAN IS THEIR COACH.
TOMORROW NIGHT THEY PLAY AT SOLON AT 7:30 AND SATURDAY AFTERNOON
AT 3:30 THEY PLAY AT CLINTON.
THE CARDINAL GIRLS ARE ALSO HAVING A GOOD YEAR, BUT THEY DID LOOSE
TO THE SABERS TUESDAY NIGHT.

LORI SCHNOOR, BORN AND RAISED IN RURAL MAQUOKETA AND STILL LIVING ON
THE FAMILY FARM WEST OF MAQUOKETA, WAS THE GUEST SPEAKER AT ROTARY
THIS PAST WEDNESDAY.     FOR 20 YEARS SHE HAS WORKED IN THE FEDERAL BUILDING ON EAST PLATT IN MAQUOKETA FOR THE  NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE.    IN HER USDA POSITION, SHE HAS 6 STAFF MEMBERS THAT ALL HELP PEOPLE HELP THE LAND WITH CONSERVATION PLANNING.    THE NRCS STARTED 80 YEARS AGO AFTER THE HUGE DUST BOWL.   THE JACKSON COUNTY
OFFICE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN THE STATE AND LAST YEAR HAD 52 CONTRACTS
THAT GENERATED OVER $1 MILLION FOR THE COUNTY.     CONCENTRATION ON BETTER WATER QUALITY AND SOIL HEALTH TOP THE LIST AND NO-TILL FARMING
AND COVER-CROPS ARE BEING STRESSED.    IS LORI AND STAFF BEING PAID THESE
DAYS?     YES,  BUT MAYBE NOT FOR LONG.
WANT MORE INFORMATION?   STOP AT THE OFFICE AND PICK UP SOME LITERATURE
ON CONSERVATION PLANNING AND CONSERVATION CHOICES.

DENNIS VOY

WEDNESDAY DAILY

THE MAQUOKETA BOYS BEAT DEWITT LAST NIGHT AND ARE NO 11 AND  0.
THE GIRLS LOST THEIR GAME TO THE SABERS.


DENNIS VOY

FRIDAY DAILY

LAST NIGHT, THE MAQUOKETA WRESTLERS DEFEATED MARION BUT LOST TO
WEST DELAWARE.
LAST NIGHT, THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS AND GIRLS BOWLING TEAMS DEFEATED
BELLEVUE AT TIMBER LANES.
TONIGHT, THE CARDINAL BOYS, RATED #1 IN THE STATE IN 3-A, HOST BENTON
COMMUNITY SEEKING WIN NUMBER 10 AGAINST 0 LOSSES.   THE GIRLS
PLAY AT BENTON COMMUNITY.



SUNNY AND 45 TODAY,
PREDICTING 50  TOMORROW.

STARTS TONIGHT AT THE VOY THEATRE

AQUAMAN....HELD OVER AT THE VOY THEATRE

ALSO...MARY POPPINS RETURNS HELD OVER

DENNIS VOY

NO THURSDAY DAILY PHOTOS

TONIGHT, THURSDAY, MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL DOUBLE-DUAL WRESTLING MEET ON THE KMAQ HOME PAGE, STARTING AT 5:50, WITH MR T AT THE HOLD-BY-HOLD MIKE....LIVE FROM
THE MCHS GYM, AGAINST MARION
AND  WEST DELAWARE.

MONDAY DAILY

AROUND 500 PEOPLE ENJOYED THE CONCERT FEATURING  MUSIC OF THE EAGLES
MONDAY NIGHT.    THE NEW YEAR'S EVE CONCERT, FEATURED GREAT CHICAGO
MUSICIANS,  AND THE ROCK AND ROLL SHOW LASTED OVER 2 1/2 HOURS.

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS BY THE PARK RANGER BEFORE THE 1ST HIKE OF THE
YEAR ON JANUARY 1ST  AT THE MAQUOKETA CAVES STATE PARK.    AROUND 125 WENT ON THE 2-HOUR HIKE IN 25 DEGREE WEATHER.   HOT CHOCOLATE PROVIDED BY THE FRIENDS OF THE PARK AND THE SUSTAINABLE JACKSON COUNTY COMMITTEE HAD PRIZES FOR THOSE WHO BROUGHT THEIR OWN RE-USABLE
MUGS, WATER BOTTLES, PLATES AND SILVERWARE.    AT THE MAQUOKETA CAVES START PARK, "CARRY IN - CARRY OUT"....YOUR OWN RE-USABLES AND KEEP THE
THE MAQUOKETA STATE PARK EARTH CLEANER.

PHOTOS BY JUDY KOON AND DIANNE HENRY

MICRO BREWERIES ARE POPULAR IN IOWA AND THE NUMBER OF THEM IS GROWING.
WE HAVE ONE (HERE SINCE 2016) IN BELLEVUE......RIVER RIDGE BREWING......AND IT HAS 6 OWNERS, WHO BREW AND SERVE IN THEIR TAVERN ACROSS FROM THE
SUBWAY RESTAURANT IN DOWNTOWN BELLEVUE.   OWNER KELLY HUENEKE GAVE
THE PROGRAM TODAY AT THE MAQUOKETA ROTARY CLUB.     A BARRELL OF
BEER HOLDS AROUND 350 SIXTEEN OUNCE CANS AND LAST YEAR, THEY BREWED
134  BARRELLS.    EIGHTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE CONSUMERS LIVE WITHIN 10 MILES OF A BREWERY IN IOWA.    KELLY'S HUSBAND IS AN OWNER, AND TWO OTHER  
BELLEVUE COUPLES ARE  OWNERS AND FOR ALL, IT IS A PART TIME ENDEAVOR.

DENNIS VOY