SUNNY, WINDY AND COLD AGAIN TODAY..HIGH THIS AFTERNOON IN THE MID 20'S.

NEW REST ROOMS FOR THE GIRL'S SOFTBALL PARK ARE DEFINITELY ON THE LIST OF CITY PROJECTS FOR THIS YEAR. IN FACT, LAST NIGHT, THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, HEARD FROM THE ENGINEER FOR THE CITY THAT THE COST COULD BE AS MUCH AS $100,000 FOR A BRICK BUILDING, WHICH IS PREFERRED BY THE COUNCIL OVER A METAL ONE. THE COST IS A LITTLE MORE THAN THE COUNCIL WANTS TO SPEND, SO THE ENGINEER IS TO COME UP WITH A LOWER PLAN FOR A BRICK BUILDING. DAVE RIVER HAS ALREADY PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE FOR A METAL BUILDING AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $50,000. CITY MANAGER BRIAN WAGNER SAID THERE IS JUST UNDER
$50,000 IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION LINE ITEM NOW FOR THE PROJECT, BUT SAID MORE FUNDS COULD BE SHIFTED FROM A PROPOSAL FOR UPGRADING RESTROOMS AT 5TH WARD PARK.
SEVERAL GIRLS WHO PLAY SOFTBALL TOLD THE COMMITTEE, THEY DON'T CARE WHAT KIND...JUST
THAT THEY ARE TIRED FOR PORTA POTTIES WHICH HAVE BEEN USED FOR MANY YEARS.
THERE IS NO RUNNING WATER AT THE PARK NOW FOR WASHING HANDS...AND THE WATER
IN THE WATER FOUNTAIN HAS TERRIBLE TASTING WATER, SAID SOME PARENTS.
MORE ABOUT THIS COMING. ON ONE HAND, THE COUNCIL IS TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE RIGHT PLANS FOR A LONG NEEDED RESTROOM BUILDING WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY ARE BEING PITCHED A NEARLY $5 MILLION DOLLAR RECREATION FACILITY THAT MANY (PROBABLY MOST )
PEOPLE DON'T WANT. I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED.

A MINOR ACCIDENT. NICHOLAS WARD, 23, OF MAQUOKETA, WAS CHARGED WITH FAILURE TO YIELD ON ENTERING A HIGHWAY FOLLOWING A TWO-VEHICLE ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT ON SOTUH MAIN. WARD WAS COMING OUT OF THE FAREWAY STORE AND HIT A CAR DRIVEN BY LYNN BOPES, 46, OF MAQUOKETA, CAUSING OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS DAMAGE TO EACH CAR.

THE FIRE DEPARMENT WAS CALLED TO A GRASS FIRE SOUTH OF MAQUOEKTA LAST NIGHT. A SIMI LOST A TIRE, RESULTING IN SOME FLAMES, THAT IGNITED THE GRASS. SINCE THE FIRE IS NEAR THEIR TERRITORY, THE DELMAR FIREMEN ALSO ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, NEAR THE FAMILY DOLLAR DISTRIBUTION CENTER.

THE MAQUOKETA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM STARTS THE TOURNAMENT TRAIL TONIGHT PLAYING THE DEWITT CENTRAL SABER GIRLS ON THE DEWITT FLOOR. DEWITT TOOK FIRST PLACE IN THE CONFERENCE AND IS FAVORED. THE LOOSER WILL BE ENDING THE SEASON TONIGHT. THE
GAME WILL BE BROADCAST ON KMAQ FM TONIGHT.

FIVE MORE NEW HOMES HAVE JUST BEEN STARTED ON LOTS AT THE NORTH EDGE OF MAQUOKETA...ALL HOMES CLOSE TO THE MAQUOKETA RIVER.

PRESIDENTS DAY IS MONDAY. MAQUOKETA WILL NOT HAVE SCHOOL.

THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR IS ON. IN A DUBUQUE TH STORY THIS MORNING, CONGRESSMAN JIM NUSSLEL (R) IS LEADING THE PACK RIGHT NOW. NOT FAR BEHIND, CHESTER CULBER (D), THE CURRENT SECRETRY OF STATE. HIS DAD IS EX-CONGRESSMAN AND EX-US SENATOR, JOHN
CULVER.

THINK SPRING. THE 61 DRIVE-IN THEATRE SOUTH OF MAQUOKETA ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT IT WILL OPEN APRIL 1ST.

AND...THE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING SEASON HAS STARTED. KMAQ WILL FOR THE 21ST YEAR IN A ROW, BROADCAST ST. LOUIS CARDINAL BASEBALL GAMES. MOST OF THE PLAYERS WILL BE NEW...BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS IN SPORTS THESE DAYS. ALBERT PUHOLS, THE CARDINAL ALL-STAR 1ST BASEMAN AND SLUGGER WILL BE BACK.

THANKS FOR THE VISIT.

DENNIS VOY