Thursday, June 30, 2016

THURSDAY DAILY

                                       (PHOTO BY DAVE UPDEGRAFF)

LAST NIGHT, THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AND OPEN HOUSE WAS HELD
IN PRESTON FOR THE NEW ADDITION TO THE EASTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
THE FAGERLAND TRUST WAS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE "KRISTA GRANT LIBRARY" AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.    JOHN (DECEASED) AND EVELYN FAGERLAND ESTABLISHED THE FAGERLAND TRUST AND KRISTA GRANT WAS THEIR DAUGHTER AND THE WIFE OF GENE GRANT PICTURED AT RIGHT.    SHE DIED FROM AN ILLNESS SEVERAL YEARS AGO.    PICTURED AT LEFT,
MARK BECK OF MAQUOKETA  AND HIS WIFE KENDRA (A SISTER OF KRISTA) AND TERRY SLATTERY OF MAQUOKETA AND HIS WIFE KAREN (SISTER OF
KRISTA).

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

TUESDAY DAILY


THE TWO PHOTOS ABOVE WERE TAKEN BY TYLER BREUCH.   HE WAS VISITING HIS FOLKS, TOM AND CAROL, OVER THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
AND STOPPED IN AT THE BAKERY BEFORE WALKING DOWNTOWN TO
LOOK OVER THE CONSTRUCTION.    TYLER AND WIFE AND DAUGHTER
LIVE IN PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA, A SUBURB OF MINNEAPOLIS.   HE WAS A 1999 GRADUATE OF MCHS AND CURRENTLY WORKS FOR HONEYWELL.
HIS TEAM AT HONEYWELL TRAINS HVAC TECHNICIANS AND TYLER SUPPORTS
THE LAB EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE AND COMPUTERS THE FIRM DELIVERS
FOR TRAINING ON.
THANKS TYLER FOR EMAILING THE PHOTOS.
CLICK-ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM.

DENNIS VOY

TYLER SAYS HE  BRINGS UP THIS BLOG OFTEN.

Monday, June 27, 2016

MONDAY DAILY

THE MAIN AND PLEASANT STREET INTERSECTION WAS CLOSED TODAY.   
NOW, THE TRAFFIC IS DIRECTED TO EAST-WEST MAPLE STREET.    YOU
CAN STILL DRIVE DOWN SOUTH MAIN IN FRONT OF THE GOODWILL STORE,
AND THEATRE, BUT WILL HAVE TO DO A U-TURN TO GET BACK OUT.

WE WENT FOR (CHICKEN-SHRIMP) SPECIAL LAST NIGHT AT BLUFF LAKE
CATFISH FARM.    AROUND 7 P.M. AND ONLY HAD TO WAIT A HALF-HOUR.
IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN THERE FOR AWHILE, THEY HAVE DONE A LOT OF
WORK ON THE OUTSIDE "WAITING" AREA, LIKE THE PATIO (ABOVE) TO THE LEFT AS YOU COME DOWN THE HILL TO THE FRONT ENTRANCE.
ABOVE, FROM LEFT SIDE PATIO, A VIEW OF THE  PORCH ALONG THE DINING ROOM (PORCH NOT USED) AND TO LEFT, THE POND REFLECTING THE
TREES ABOVE.   THIS SPRING, THEY DRAINED THE POND, CLEANED THE
SURFACE AND DID SOME WORK AROUND THE SHORE OF IT AND IT LOOKS
MUCH BETTER THAN BEFORE.
ANOTHER VIEW  OF POND WITH REFLECTING TREES.   THEY ARE OPEN
FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAYS.   CHECK THEIR WEB SITE.    I HEARD
THEY SERVED OVER 900 MEALS ON FATHER'S DAY.    ONE OF THE MOST
UNIQUE (AND VERY BUSY ALWAYS) RESTAURANTS IN IOWA.      BRINGS LOTS OF VISITORS TO JACKSON COUNTY FROM THE SURRONDING AREA.  
STILL GET THERE ON A WINDING, HILLY ROAD, THAT YOU GET TO AFTER
GOING THROUGH THE CAVES STATE PARK AND AFTER GOING THROUGH
A FARM YARD.

ANOTHER NEW HOME GOING UP ON EMMA COURT IN MAQUOKETA.   IT
IS WHERE THE EMMA COURT APARTMENTS STOOD UNTIL THIS SPRING.

DENNIS VOY




Friday, June 24, 2016

FRIDAY DAILY

LOOKING SOUTH ON MAIN FROM KMAQ TO PLATT.    SOON, PAVING WILL START, SIDEWALKS FIRST, THEN THE STREET.    BUT....SOME OLD SIDEWALKS STILL NEED TO BE REMOVED FIRST.     ALL SIDEWALKS WILL BE NEW WITH
A BRICK PICTURE FRAME ALONG THE STREET EDGE.

EAST QUARRY IS DONE.    THE OTHER END, WEST QUARRY, WILL LOOK LIKE
THIS NEXT FRIDAY.    BUT, LOTS TO DO YET IN THE MIDDLE INTERSECTION.
THE INTERSECTION I MENTIONED ABOVE.
TODAY,  BUILDING A LOW RETAINING WALL AT NORTWEST CORNER OF
THE POST OFFICE LAND.
DAN'S BARBER SHOP.

YESTERDAY AT THE WEEKLY UPDATE MEETING AT CITY HALL  FOR THE MEDIA
AND ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE ENTIRE
PROJECT IS A WEEK AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.


DENNIS VOY


Thursday, June 23, 2016

THURSDAY DAILY

YES, THAT'S VIRL BANOWETZ.    YES, HE IS STILL IN BUSINESS.
HE TURNS 80 OCTOBER 1ST.
THAT'S A POTATO DIGGER AT LEFT AND A CORN STUBBLE CUTTER (INVENTED BY HIS GRANDFATHER) ON RIGHT.   AT ONE TIME, HE AND KATHY HAD ONE OF THE BIGGEST ANTIQUE PLACES IN THE MIDWEST, SELLING OUT OF TWO BIG BUILDINGS NEAR THE HIGHWAY 61 AND 64 INTERSECTION.
ALSO A STORE IN GALENA FOR A FEW YEARS. 
A COUPLE YEARS AGO THEY SOLD THOSE TWO BUILDINGS BUT KEPT THE
6-ACRE TRACT NORTH OF TOWN WITH ALL THE ORIGINAL BUILDINGS WHERE
THEY GOT STARTED.     THIS IS THE MAIN ONE,  AND THERE ARE 3 OR 4 MORE
FILLED WITH ANTIQUE STUFF, INCLUDING  ONE WITH MAINLY DISHES.  PLUS, THERE  ARE ABOUT A DOZEN DEALERS THAT HAVE ANTIQUES HERE AND HE SELLS FOR THOSE PEOPLE ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS.
HE EVEN DELIVERS.    TONIGHT TAKING A TABLE AND CHAIRS SET TO A
BUYER IN IOWA CITY.     SOMEONE WILL BE WITH HIM ON THE TRIP.
HIS BIG ANNUAL JULY 4TH SALE IS ALREADY UNDERWAY AND WILL LAST
UNTIL JULY 5TH.     WHERE'S KATHY?    SHE'S RUNNING ONE OF THE
NICEST BED AND BREAKFAST PLACES IN THE MIDWEST, "SQUIRES MANOR"
WITH 7 OR 8 UNITS.     WHERE'S SON BEN?   HE AND FAMILY LIVE IN
DES MOINES.        VIRL AND KATHY HAVE DONE MUCH IN GETTING
MAQUOKETA KNOWN AROUND THE COUNTRY.   AS I WAS LEAVING, A COUPLE ON VACATION FROM THE UK DROVE IN.
HIS FAMOUS LAST LINE...."BRING YOUR CHECKBOOK"!
CONTINUED GOOD LUCK YOU TWO....KEEP BRINGING PEOPLE TO MAQUOKETA.

DENNIS VOY
UNTIL TODAY, 2ND LONGEST BUSINESSMAN IN TOWN.
NO LONGER (WITH VIRL GOING AGAIN)  3RD LONGEST.
ROSS RIVER IS 1ST.



Wednesday, June 22, 2016

WEDNESDAY DAILY

PAUL TABOR OWNER OF "TABOR WINERY" SPOKE AT THE MAQUOKETA ROTARY MEETING TODAY.    GO TO THE ROTARY WEB BLOG AND READ ABOUT HIS AND OTHER WINERIES.

LARGE CROWD (ABOUT 500) AT "TUNES IN TOWN" NIGHT LAST NIGHT AT THE PARK IN DEWITT.    THE CLINTON COUNTY CATTLEMEN PREPARED AND
SOLD STEAK SANDWICHS, ALONG WITH CHIPS AND POP.   DESSERTS WERE
AVAILABLE FROM "WHISK AWAY" BAKERY. 
THE NEW BANDSHELL AT LINCOLN PARK IN DOWNTOWN DEWITT.  THE
"TUESDAY NIGHT"  FREE CONCERT IS HELD EVERY WEEK IN DOWNTOWN
DEWITT.    ENTERTAINMENT LAST NIGHT, THE HIT MAN, FROM GRAND MOUND.
NICE OPEN AIR FACILITY.

FOUR  YOUNG GIRLS FROM IOWA CITY DROVE TO THE 61 DRIVE-IN THEATRE LAST NIGHT.    NOTICE THE FIRST GIRL'S HAIR AND BLANKET TUCKED UNDER.
IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER EASTERN IOWA AND
WESTERN ILLINOIS THE THEATRE.

THE MAQUOKETA HOSPITAL AUXILIARY IS CELEBRATING 60 YEARS.     TODAY, MEMBERS HOSTED AN OPEN HOUSE AT THE HOSPITAL.   ON DISPLAY WAS HUNDREDS OF PHOTOS AND MANY, MANY NEWS STORIES, COVERING
THE 60 YEARS.    DURING THAT TIME, THE AUXILIARY HAS GIVEN TO THE
HOSPITAL $188,000.     AND THEY WILL CONTINUE DOING THIS AS THEY
ARE STILL VERY ACTIVE, AND THAT INCLUDES RUNNING THE GIFT STORE
AT THE HOSPITAL.   EACH YEAR THEY GIVE OUT SCHOLARSHIPS TOO.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU TO A GREAT MAQUOKETA ORGANIZATION!


DENNIS VOY

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

TUESDAY DAILY

LOOK AT ALL OF......
THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS BEING USED THIS AFTERNOON WHEN I TOOK THIS PHOTO OF THE MAIN BLOCK OF DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA.

TICKETS ON SALE FOR A FEW MORE DAYS AND WE HAVE THEM HERE AT
KMAQ.    PRETTY GOOD CHANCE TO
WIN!

DENNIS VOY

Monday, June 20, 2016

MONDAY DAILY

WHEW...IT'S HOT TODAY!  (FIRST DAY OF SUMMER) 
NOTHING  LIKE THIS----SHIRLEY AND RON FRIED EGGS ON THEIR ARIZONA SIDEWALK THIS NOON.     120...OH MY GOSH...DEGREES.



FREE SUNDAY AFTERNOON PICNIC LUNCH .. IN CELEBRATION OF JUNE DAIRY MONTH .. SPONSORED BY JACKSON-CLINTON DAIRY ASSOCIATION ..
AT THE  LARGE BANOWETZ DAIRY FARM NORTH OF CHARLOTTE.    WE TOOK TOUR OF THE BARN.   THEY MILK 300 COWS....3 TIMES A DAY....NOON, 4:30 P.M. AND 8:30 P.M.   THEY EVEN MILK ON SUNDAYS.
BIG TURN OUT!    FREE BURGERS, BRATS AND HOTDOGS....LOTS OF FREE
DAIRY PRODUCT OF COURSE.
TALKED TO THE DAIRY PRINCESS ABOVE.   SHE IS KATE STEWART OF OELWEIN AND TO BE.... A SOPHOMORE AT IOWA STATE.

ENJOY DELICIOUS DAIRY PRODUCTS OFTEN! 

NEW BRICK ADDITION AT "CASEY'S" - EAST ON PLATT STREET..NEW REST ROOMS AND WALK-IN COOLER.
MAQUOKETA HAS TWO "CASEY'S"...TWO "KWIK STARS" AND 3 OTHER GAS STATIONS. 

CASIE CASAL AND SON MATT WITH 36-INCH PIZZA FROM BURLINGTON.
NOTE CASIE'S FATHER'S DAY SHIRT.
HE ALSO  HAS 2 DAUGHTERS AND WIFE BILLIE.    HE DOES LOTS OF THINGS AT MY DRIVE-IN INCLUDING 
BEING THE ENGINEER FOR THE KIDDIE TRAIN.    JUST HAD A RECORD 3-DAY WEEKEND .. THANKS TO TERRIFIC WEATHER, FATHER'S DAY AND THE
MEGGA-HIT DISNEY-PIXAR MOVIE "FINDING DORY".


DENNIS VOY
 



Sunday, June 19, 2016

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

A MAN FROM SOLON IS THINKING ABOUT BUYING THE  BUILDING ABOVE,
AND RENOVATING IT .     HE DID AN OLD BUILDING IN SOLON AND
TO SEE IT, GOOGLE...... PALMER BUILDING, SOLON.    HE SPENT OVER $2 MILLION DOLLARS REFURBISHING IT.

THE 17TH ANNUAL TIMBER CITY ADVENTURE RACE WAS HELD YESTERDAY MORNING FROM CANTON TO DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA.   8 MILES IN A CANOE, 14 MILES ON A BIKE AND FINISHING WITH A 5K RUN.
64 TEAMS AND 250 PARTICIPATING OR WATCHING.     OVERALL WINNER,
DOING IT IN 2 HOURS, 21 MINUTES AND 51 SECONDS, JASON EVANS OF
DUBUQUE.   FINISHING SECOND AT 2:24:25, DREW BURMAHL OF MAQUOKETA.
OTHER MAQUOKETA PARTICIPANTS TAKING A FIRST OR 2ND PLACE IN ONE
OF MANY DIVISIONS:
TERRY NIMS....PAOLA BAGGIATTO....KATHY PATTERSON....LUKE HAAN....
NICHOLAS KOOS....DEAN KLOFT.....MONICA MITTS....NANCY MAYFIELD.....
PEYTON RIVER....CARTER RIVER....ASHLEY HAAN....MICHELLE HAAN....
BOBBY KIRK,....LINDSAY JACKSON....DARYL DAVISON....LANDON
AUNAN.....ANDY AHRENDS....BRIAN AUNAN...NANCY TABOR...PHIL TABOR....
ADAM TABOR....ANGELA TABOR....AND BETH FIER.
THERE WERE OTHERS FROM MAQUOKETA THAT DID THE RACE, BUT
THE ONES LISTED ABOVE ARE THE ONES THAT CAME IN WITH A FIRST
OR SECOND PLACE.


DENNIS VOY

Thursday, June 16, 2016

THURSDAY DAILY

THE INTERNATIONAL WOODCARVERS CONVENTION IS BACK AGAIN AT THE FAIRGROUNDS IN MAQUOKETA THIS WEEK.       THERE ARE ABOUT 25 RV'S PARKED ON THE GROUNDS AND OTHERS ARE  PARKED AT HORSESHOE POND PARK AND MANY ARE STAYING AT MAQUOKETA'S MOTEL, HOTELS, AND
 AT SQUIRE'S MANOR BED AND BREAKFAST.       PEARSON HALL IS AGAIN FILLED WITH WOODCARVERS CARVING, AND ATTENDING WORKSHOPS.  THERE IS A VERY LARGE DISPLAY OF WOODCARVINGS.       IT IS AN AMAZING SHOW...OPEN TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH SUNDAY.  THERE IS AN ADMISSION AND IT IS WORTH IT.       YES, YOU CAN BUY CARVINGS IN ANY PRICE RANGE.
THERE IS A VERY LARGE TURNOUT THIS AFTERNOON, THE FIRST BIG DAY.
THE MIGHTY MAQUOKETA RIVER!

 MAJOR WORK IS BEING DONE ALSO THIS MONTH ON NORTH VERMONT STREET.     IT IS A SEPARATE PROJECT AND A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR
IS DOING THE WORK.   THERE ARE A LOT OF STREETS LIKE THIS ONE 
THAT ARE NEEDING WORK AND JUST SO MUCH MONEY TO DO THEM.

GUESS WHERE ALL THESE BRICKS HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS?

AT TODAY'S UPDATE MEETING ON THE DOWNTOWN STREET PROJECT,
THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL OPEN THE INTERSECTIONS OF
OLIVE AND QUARRY AND NORTH SECOND AND QUARRY IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.     THAT MEANS IT WILL FREE-UP TRAFFIC ON SECOND STREET AND OLIVE, BUT QUARRY WILL NOT BE OPENED AS WORK WILL STILL BE GOING ON IN THE NORTH MAIN AND QUARRY STREET INTERSECTION.    

ABOVE, THE PILINGS FROM THE OLD HIGHWAY 61 BRIDGE AT NORTH END OF MAQUOKETA, CROSSING THE MAQUOKETA RIVER.     MANY OF YOU CROSSED
THAT BRIDGE OFTEN.    PLANS ARE TO PUT A TRAIL THERE, USING THESE
PILINGS, TO CROSS THE MAQUOKETA AND PROCEED WITH THE TRAIL TO
HURSTVILLE INTERPRETIVE CENTER.   PROBABLY A  YEAR OR TWO  AWAY.

DENNIS VOY

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

WEDNESDAY DAILY

TOM GAFFIGAN SPOKE AT ROTARY TODAY.   MANAGER OF MAQUOKETA MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITY.    HE  HAS BEEN IN ELECTRICITY
GENERATION  AND DISTRIBUTION FOR OVER 40 YEARS.    MMEU ON OR NEAR THE TOP IN IOWA IN THE CATEGORY OF ELECTRIC SAVINGS AS A PERCENTAGE OF SALES.

BETTER PHOTO OF THE "PLEASANT CREEK STRING BAND" THAT PLAYED
LAST NIGHT AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.

DENNIS VOY


Tuesday, June 14, 2016

TUESDAY DAILY

IT IS TUESDAY AND THE FARMER'S MARKET STARTED AT 4 AND RUNS
UNTIL 7 ON EAST PLATT IN MAQUOKETA, IN THE PARKING LOT OF
OHNWARD FINE ARTS CENTER.    OVER 20 EXHIBITORS AND A BIG
TURN OUT OF SHOPPERS WHEN I WAS THERE SHORTLY AFTER THE OPENING.
MUSIC BY THE "PLEASANT CREEK STRING BAND" FEATURING 7 MUSICIANS
FROM  MAQUOKETA AND THE AREA.      THE AMVETS AUXILIARY IS SERVING
PULLED-PORK SANDWICHES, CHIPS AND POP


CHECK THE BIG FLAG BELOW.

DENNIS VOY