Thursday, June 25, 2009

MID 80'S THIS AFTERNOON. THEN AN ELECTRICAL STORM PASSED THROUGH WITH SOME LIGHT RAIN, DROPPING THE TEMP ABOUT 10 DEGREES IN LESS THAN AN HOUR.
NOW, SUNNY AGAIN, BUT THUNERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
7 TONIGHT.

THE NEW CLINTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE BUILDING JUST EAST OF THE MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE A GRAND OPENING AND OPEN HOUSE ON MONDAY, AUGUST 3RD. MARK THE DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR.

THE MAQUOKETA CAVES STATE PARK WILL GET A NEW PARK RANGER THIS
SUMMER. LARRY ZIRKELBACH IS RETIRING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILL BE LEAVING HIS POSITION AT THE CAVES ON AUGUST 20TH.
HE IS TAKING EARLY RETIREMENT FROM THE DNR. HE'S HAD THE JOB HERE
FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS AND HAS BEEN WITH THE DNR FOR 23 YEARS.
LARRY AND HIS WIFE, DENISE, PLAN TO MOVE TO THE PRESCOTT, ARIZONA,
AREA. HE SAID DENISE HAS FAMILY IN THE AREA. SHE PLANS TO WORK AS A MENTAL HEALTH NURSE AND HE SAID HE WILL LOOK FOR SOMETHING ONCE THEY GET SETTLED. HE SAID THE MAQUOKETA CAVES POSITION HAS BEEN OPENED FOR TRANSFERS FROM DNR EMPLOYEES.

THE MAQUOKETA GIRLS WON AGAIN LAST NIGHT AND ANOTHER SHUT OUT.

REPAIR WORK IS BEING DONE TO HIGHWAY 64 THROUGH MAQUOKETA.
SEVERAL DELAYS GOING THROUGH TOWN THAT WAY.

THE RELAY FOR LIFE CANCER WALK IS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT, ENDING SATURDAY MORNING, AT THE FAIRGROUNDS. JOIN THE WALKERS IF YOU CAN.

DENNIS VOY

LAST WEEK, ON WAY BACK FROM ST. LOUIS, WE STOPPED AT THIS MUSEUM
IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, ABOUT 4 HOURS FROM MAQUOKETA. THEY
WERE EXTREMELY BUSY, EVEN THOUGH A WEEK DAY. IT IS ABOUT 3 OR 4 YEARS OLD AND WORTH THE TRIP. $8 ADMISSION. MY THIRD VISIT. NANCY'S FIRST TIME THERE. WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO VISIT ABE'S HOME NEARBY OR HIS
GRAVESITE, ALSO IN SPRINGFIELD. AND, DIDN'T GO IN THE LIBRARY, ALSO
NEW, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE MUSEUM. TO SEE IT ALL, YOU'LL NEED
ABOUT 3-4 HOURS. IT IS RIGHT DOWNTOWN AND EVERYWHERE AROUND ARE
HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND MANY NEAT RESTAURANTS WITH OUTDOOR DINING
IF YOU LIKE. SPRINGFIELD IS A BEAUTIFUL CITY. SO....LOOKING FOR A GOOD ONE OR TWO DAY VACATION TRIP, GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL MUSEUM...IT IS HIGH TECH ALL THE WAY. IT HAS A LARGE GIFT SHOP AND
CAFE OF COURSE.
DENNIS VOY