Dennis' Daily Worldwide Report

We have had 3 inches of rain in Maquoketa TODAY....and our totall of August is nearly 8 inches. Sunshine now and the rest of weekend should be goodl....Big day tomorrow. Maquoketa will dedicate the new Public Library Complex, a 1.7 million project finished this summer. A new addition and restoring the old dedicated in 1903. The 10:30 ceremony will be broadcast on KMAQ AM-FM "live" from outside the library. After the ceremony, an open house with refreshments until 3.....The movie studio was in Maquoketa again today, filming inside the County Jail.....Pastor Gerald Gjerde is one of 5 candidates running for two openings on the Jackson County Hospital Board. He is Pastor of First Lutheran Church......Have a good weekend.
Dennis Voy
- Friday, August 28, 1998 at 18:49:20 (EDT)

Today was KMAQ's 40th Birthday. Good day. My two daughters decorated the front window early this morning for my first surprise when I got to work at 6:30. 40 balloons and 4 large framed picture collections. Then at 9:05, I was on the Just Talk show for an hour, talking about the first days. During show, got a call from first owner of station Nate Goetz from his summer home in South Carolina. We talked about some of the things we did those first days and first years. When he started the station with a brother and friend, he lived in Monroe, Wisconsin and would come down to Maquoketa for 3 or 4 days each week. I purchased KMAQ from the three in 1965 and have kept in touch with Nate ever since. He has about a dozen stations now in Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois. Also heard today from other ex-employees, including first manager Bob Brown from Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, now retired. We also keep in touch. Got about 10 beautiful plants and some wine and candy, and even a roll of duct tape to keep the place together for another 10 years until we have a mega birthday party for the 50th. In June, I spoke to the Maquoketa Rotary about the 40th Anniversary and tomorrow I speak to the Kiwanis Club. Yesterday, the staff had a special luncheon here at the station and of course, we have the 40th Anniversary Bumper Stick promotion going on and already have given away hundreds of dollars in prize money. The lucky license promotion with bumper stickers goes on for a few more weeks. So, nothing very big for our 40th, but A NICE CELEBRATION for a special occassion....A longtime Maquoketa attorney, Hillis Lee, age 95, died today and funeral services will be Saturday at the Carson & Son Funeral Home in Maquoketa. He was a partner in a law firm with the late Everett Schoenthaler. He is survived by l daughter and retired in 1962......And so much for today. Tomorrow, we start year 4l at KMAQ. The SHOW GOES ON.
Dennis Voy
- Wednesday, August 26, 1998 at 18:55:07 (EDT)

Jackson County got hit late this morning.....by a severe thunderstorm. At about 11:30, skie got very dark and the rain and winds came. Just rain in Maquoketa, but high winds in the Fulton, Andrew, and Zwingle area. A couple semi-trucks were blown over on highway 6l North of Zwingle....a roof was blown off a mobile home near Fulton...a barn was blown down northeast of Maquoket and lots of trees down in Andrew. Electricty was also off most of the day in some areas. It was not classified as a tornado. Clean-up continues tonight.......Sounds like the rest of the week will be great, weatherwise.....Belva Duncan, pastor of the United Church of Christ somce 199l, lost a short battle against brain cancer yesterday. She was 58 and had just received her doctorate this Spring. A very popular member of the community. Former Maquoketa Rotary President. Liked to Mountain Climb. Her brain tumor was discovered earlier this summer,an operation was performed but the cancer was a fast spreading type. Services will be Wednesday. She was originally from South Dakota and her mother still lives there. She was divorced. She will be missed by her church and the community. That's it for now.
Dennis Voy
- Monday, August 24, 1998 at 21:13:07 (EDT)

Hot and humid today, will be 90.....Thunder and lightning storm this morning....fire department got 3 calls during storm, but all false alarms.....Back to school for Maquoketa kids tomorrow.....A six-court tennis complex for up at the high school is in the planning stages....Class of 88 held their re-union this weekend in Maquoketa......Chuck Wood, age 64, of Davenport, former Maquoketa businessman, died today. Arrangements are pending at Carson and Son Funeral Home. Back in the 60's he was a KMAQ sales representative. Around l970, he was manager of the Sears Catalog Store in Maquoketa, which was located where KMAQ is now. Survived by wife Shirley.......The movie people are still in the city filming that new movie....I noticed they were filming at a home on East Quarry Street last night and lots and lots of equipment were on the scene.....School board electin coming up on Sept. 8th and on the ballot will be the new 4-million dollar auditorium issue. So far, not much being said about the vote......Mark Willey had a letter to the editor against the auditorium in yesterday's paper....KMAQ travel bus trip to Wrigley field this past Wednesday was great...Cardinals won and McGuire hit two homers, but it was long..didn't get home til nearly midnight........Have a good week....I'm hoping to have more of the reports in the future...so keep chicking at least a couple times a week. GO HAWKEYES...THE FOOTBALL SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER...HAYDEN FRY'S 20TH SEASON.
Dennis Voy
- Sunday, August 23, 1998 at 15:03:07 (EDT)

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN MAQUOKETA. WALKED TO THE STATION THIS MORNING AND RAN INTO JOHN DEERY WHO INFORMED ME THAT BRAD DEERY MOTORS HAS PURCHASED THE BUILDING ON THE CORNER OF PLATT AND 2ND AND WILL TEAR IT DOWN. IT WAS THE LOCATION OF RADIO SHACK UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN RADIO SHACK MOVED TO THE CORNER OF MAIN AND PLATT. YEARS AGO, THE BUILDING WAS THE LOCATION FOR OK TIRE, AND THEN HICK'S TV AND APPLIANCE. BRAD DEERY ALREADY OWNS THE EMPTY LOT NEXT TO IT, SO IT WAS A NATURAL THAT THEY BUY THE CORNER BUILDING, TEAR IT DOWN AND MAKE THE ENTIRE CORNER A NEW CAR DISPLAY LOT, THEIR FIRST GOOD DISPLAY ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY 64/PLATT EXPRESSWAY. NEXT TIME YOU VISIT MAQUOKETA, YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO DRIVE THROUGH THE BIG BRAD DEERY DEALERSHIP. IT HAS REALLY CHANGED THIS END OF DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA. THE DEERY DEALERSHIP WAS FORMELRY RASMUSSEN MOTOR SALES.....THIS WEDNESDAY, THE MOVIE COMPANY THAT IS PRODUCING A 10-MILLION-DOLLAR MOVIES IN MAQUOKETA AND SEVERAL OTHER EASTERN IOWA CITIES, WILL BE SHOTTING SOME SCENES IN DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA. I'LL MISS OUT AS I AM TAKING A BUSLOAD OF CUBS AND CARDINAL FANS TO WRIGLEY FIELD. THE MOVIE WILL ALSO BE SHOT INISIDE CLINTON ENGINES. THE DIRECTOR IS USING MY THEATRE TO LOOK AT DAILY RUSHES OF THE MOVIE. LOOKED AT THE FIRST REEL YESTERDAY. WILL IT BE ANOTHER "TITANIC"......I DOUBT IT.......HAVE A GOOD WEEK.
Dennis Voy
- Sunday, August 16, 1998 at 11:52:23 (EDT)

YES, I AM STILL HERE. BEEN A BUSY WEEK. HAVE PEOPLE ON VACATION. WEATHER HAS BEEN GREAT. IT IS RODEO WEEK IN JACKSON COUNTY...OUR RODEO, NOW 11 YEARS OLD, IS A FINE RODEO. BIG CROWDS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHTS, BUT TONIGHT, THE FINAL NIGHT, WILL BE THE BIGGEST. LAST YEAR, OVER 12,000 PEOPLE WENT TO IT. IT IS BACK TO SCHOOL TIME ALREADY. KMAQ HAD ITS FIRST 'BACK TO SCHOOL' ROAD SHOW FRIDAY AND WE WILL HAVE THEM ALL NEXT WEEK......FOOTBALL PRACTICE BEGINS MONDAY. I INTERVIEWED THE COACH YESTERDAY AND HE IS PREDICTING A VERY GOOD SEASON......MAQUOKTA IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR A LARGE INDUSTRY THAT WOULD EMPLOY UP TO 800 IN THREE YEARS......WELL, NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK.
Dennis Voy
- Saturday, August 15, 1998 at 16:48:29 (EDT)

The dry spell is over. This week, Maquoketa received over an inch of rain. Not enough, but it helped......All week, the "bear" story has been the big one in Maquoketa. A black bear got loose from The Zoo East of Maquoketa and at 2 in the morning, tried to get into a house up the road. The law was called...and the owner, Tom Marlowe came quickly and let the the tame bear back home with an apple to assist. Marlowe said the latch to the bear's pen could NOT have been opened by the animal.....that someone did it. Marlowe was urged to put padlocks on his animal cages. He has done so. Should have done it long ago. The problem grew because nearby neighbors, who have small children, appeared before the Supervisors and called the TV media and they basically want The Zoo...a small zoo..shut down. One evening, 5 TV stations had a feature story on the issue. So, although things have simmered down a bit, the issue is still here and I'll keep you posted.......Two complanies appeared at a speical council of the whole meeting last night at City Hall, expressing an interest in building some downtown Senior Apartments. Big ideas. If it should come about, it would change the looks of South Main Street quite a bit. More discussion by the council is scheduled this coming Monday.....The Maquoketa High School girl's softball team, coached by Dick Davis, played in the State Tournament this week and lost both games. But, nice to have a team there in any case.....KMAQ 40th Anniversary Bumper Stickers are available now throughout the area. If you would like one, let me know.....Work has started on the new bakery for Maquoketa, to be owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Clay Romer.....Work is coming along nicely on the new Dollar General Store on West Platt in Maquoketa....it will be bigger than the downtown location and will open this fall. No word yet on what will move into the downtown building when it becomes vacant.....Have a good weekend.
Dennis Voy
- Friday, August 07, 1998 at 18:53:45 (EDT)

Sorry I have been lax with these reports, but with County Fairs...I have been extremely busy. The Clinton County Fair ended last night and the Jackson County Fair started last night. The Champion and Reserve at the DeWitt fair were both shown by Bryce Frost, age 12. Very unusual for a 4-H member to have BOTH CHAMPIONS. His Dad is Joel, a MCHS grad and the Ag Instructor and FFA advisor for Preston High School. The family lives in at the edge of DeWitt. His grandparents are Mr.and Mrs. Bud Frost of Maquoketa.....The Jackson County Fair parade was l00-minutes long...the longest parade ever...too long. I broadcast it on KMAQ. Was at the KMAQ booth all afternoon doing half-hour reports, with interviews and judging results, etc......Sara Roach of Maquoketa is the Fair Queen. A very pretty gas, who just graduated this past May. She is an excellent singer too and will represent our county at the State Fair contest in Des Moines. I think she has a chance at it. Ty England, Country Singer, entertains tonight at the fair. A good friend of Garth Brooks and a good singer with several hits. Weather has been great and so attendance for the Clinton fair was excellent and the Jackson County fair attendance the first two days has been very good. So much for today.
Dennis Voy
- Thursday, July 30, 1998 at 18:52:15 (EDT)

Another great day in Iowa. For the 4th day in a row, nice weather and it should continue.......Ragbrai, the Great Bike Ride across Iowa, sponsored by the Des Moines Register went through Jackson County today, through Canton, Andrew, Sringbrook and ended up in Sabula. We did remote broadcasts from Andrew and Sabula this morning on both KMAQ AM & FM....talked to a lot of the riders, all having a great time, especially with the nice weather. This was the 26th Annual ride and Andrew has has them 3 times and makes good mooney for the town, selling foods, drinks, t-shirts,etc. For Sabula, it was a first-time and they also did well. Something to see around 15,000 extra people in one day..all friendly and hungry.......We at KMAQ have also been covering the Jones County Fairy this week...and it has been a sucess. Comes to an end tomorrow.......Tomorrow,the Clinton County fair starts at Dewitt and ends Wednesday. We'll be there all 3 main days and then Jackson County's fair starts Wednesday...so more busy days ahead....Ray Nairn,92, longtime farmer and cattleman died this week at his rural farm home just south of Maquoketa. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Gib Marcucci of Monmouth, Iowa....HAVE A NICE WEEKEND.
Dennis Voy
- Saturday, July 25, 1998 at 15:09:28 (EDT)

Wow...hot today, like yesterday, but cooler weather coming and should last the rest of the week......City council met last night and another big dicusssion on if the city will mandate the building of new sidewalks in areas of town that has none.....Residents of South 5th Street are opposed to sidewalks...buy many beleive they should have them as they are directly between the middle school and the high school. It will cost them nothing, but there will be the upkeep cost and of course, they will have to shovel them in the winter. So, we will wait now until September as the council voted to postpone a decision until then.....Rex Brandt, the City Airport manager, took a second job like it at Clinton and will move there..but still do Maquoketa. Doubt if that will go over by the Airport Commission.....The Jones County fair starts tomorrow....the Clinton County Fair starts Sunday and Jackson County a week from tomorrow. It is a busy time for KMAQ.....In busines news..McDonalds has a bunch of new kids playground equipment in their adjacent outdoor play area....I heard about $15,000 worth. The City will try to sell their outdated playground equipment taken out of city parks earlier this year......A 3rd Police Car wreck this past weekend....all this year....and you guessed it ....the subject of lots of discussion.....The city is buying another home near 5th ward park in Maquoketa...the 2nd home this year...for additional parking, which was badly needed. In both cases, the home became available after the owner died. The home that will now be torn down was lived in many years by the Oscar Merrick family. Merrick died recently. So much for today.
Dennis Voy
- Tuesday, July 21, 1998 at 18:51:58 (EDT)

WE ARE IN NEED OF RAIN....SEND SOME OUR WAY. 83 TODAY AND 90 WEATHER COMING SOON.....Not much new. Mark Willey in the news again. At the first council meeting of July, he appeared and accused several Maquoketa Police officers by name of theft, rape and immoral acts. This was all "live" on local cable TV channel. Normally, these meetings are then re-run a few times, but because of his remarks, no rebroadcasts were made, as the council feared lawsuits. Mark says he has proof of his accusations, but most people doubt it.....Ruby Voss died yesterday in Newago, Michigan, where she lived, at age 73. Former Maquoketa resident. She was a Frandsen and survivors include Roy, Harvey, and Arthur Fransen of Maquoketa and sisters Irene Kleinsmith and Valma Witt, also of Maquoketa. Services will be Monday in Michigan. She worked at Clinton Engiens here, before moving with her husband to Michigan......KMAQ will soon have a 40th Anniversary Bumper Sticker. If you want one, let me know via e-mail and I'll send you one.....That's it for today. Have a good weekend.
Dennis Voy
- Friday, July 17, 1998 at 19:04:01 (EDT)

A great day in Maquoketa...sunny and mid 80's......The unemployment rate in Jackson County is the lowest in 20 years...at an even 3%......Ridikulous Day is this coming Wednesday in Maquoketa, from 7 A.M. until 3 P.M......Chris Lary, age 24, a MCHS grad, died this week after a short illness. His parents are John and Maureen Lary of Delmar.....George Glahn, age 90, of Maquoketa, died today....The class of 1948 is home for iths 50th reunion this weekend with dinner tonight at the Maquoketa Country Club and the class of 78 is having their reunion tonight at Mickel's Hall.....They started pouring concrete on the highway 61 four-lane in Maquoketa yesterday. The 4-lane thru Maquokta is expected to be completed by late fall.....A lot of new playground equipment was opened up to the kids of Maquoketa this week in both the lst and 5th ward Parks.....Thelma Meinke's l00th birthday party was this afternoon.......and that will do it. Have a good week.
Dennis Voy
- Saturday, July 11, 1998 at 18:38:41 (EDT)

Hot day in the Timber City. But, this is July......Rick Barrett of Bellevue won the truck raffle at Bellevue Saturday night..a new 98 Chevy......Saturday morning, during Heritage Days in Bellevue, a brand new squad car was put in serviceand it was struck by another vehicle during the parade...$3,000 damage to the new squad car. It was struck by a Dubuque man and he was charged for failure to maintain control.......City council meeting tonight. I'll have a few highlights in my next report....A famous lady of the good ole days in Maquoketa, Malinda Hinckley, age 99, died today at the Cresridge Nursing Home. Her husband Harold was a longtime pharmacist and owner of Hinckley Pharmacy, until it was purchased by Osterhaus Pharmacy in the mid 60's. Harold died several years later. Malinda was a homemaker all her life and active in Maquoketa functions. She is survived by one daughter, Alice Kullman of Minnetonka, Minnesota. Also two grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Services will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. t Halock, O'Hara and Lahey Funeral Home in Maquoketa....and so it goes. Come back again.
Dennis Voy
- Monday, July 06, 1998 at 18:51:25 (EDT)

GREAT WEATHER YESTERDAY AND TODAY AGAIN. Maquoketa's fireworks last night was very good. The Race promoter, Bob Wagener, of Maquoketa also has the racetrack at Davenport each Friday night and because of soem late rain Friday night, he didn't use all of his fireworks there and brought them along for added fireworks after the races here last night...so...the folks got a bigger and better show...and there was a very good turnout.....Banowetz Antiques here in their large location at the 61 and 64 intersection, has an annual 4th of July Sale that they advertise extensively and they have had an excellent turnout this weekend, bringing thousands of people to Maquoketa from all around, including neighboring states......Read in the Dubuque Telegraph that the Disney backed parade and fireworks at Plattville, Wisconsin yesterday was a big success....around 50,000 watched the parade...... Teresa Clark, age 20, of Maquoketa was killed early Friday morning north of Maquoketa on highway 61, ner Welton. The car was driven by an Eldridge man...it was one of those small "Tracker" cars...heading South when accident occurred. Clark was taken to hospital here in town where she died. A friend, Sue Droste was admitted and released. I'm not sure about the driver, as the Clinton County Sheriff's Department for some reason hasn't released details yet. Clark and Droste were 1996 grads of MCHS. Teresa is survived by her parents, Cletus and Pat Clark, 3 brothers, Jeffrey of Killeen, Texas...Corey of Maquoketa and her twin brother, Trent of Maquoketa. Also 3 sisters, Debra Clark, Pam Yarolem and Brenda Griffin all of Maquoketa. Services will be Tueday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.....Fairtime begins next. KMAQ will again be broadcasting from the Wyoming, Iowa fair and 4 County Fairs, starting with the Cedar County Fair which begins this coming Wednesday at Tipton. Have a good week everybody!
Dennis Voy
- Sunday, July 05, 1998 at 13:24:41 (EDT)

CLOUDS, RAIN, CLOUDS, RAIN, HOT, HUMID...NOT A VERY GOOD DAY TODAY. SPOILED THE SPEICAL DOWNTOWN SHOPPING EVENT. MANY THINGS WERE HELD, BUT ATTENDANCE WAS BELOW WHAT WAS EXPECTED.......TOMORROW, THREE LOCAL AREA PARADES..AT DEWITT AND BELLEVUE TOMORROW MORNING AT 10 AND AT LAMOTTE AT 1 TOMORROW AFTERNOON. THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS AT MAQUOKETA, BELLEVUE, LAMOTTE AND GRAND MOUND TOMORROW NIGHT.....MAQUOKETA RAISED $4,000 FOR THEIR SHOW. GRAND MOUND HAS A $15,000 SHOW. BELLEVUE AND LAMOTTE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 5 AND 10 THOUSAND. COST MONEY FOR FIREWORKS SHOWS AND THERE IS NO END TO WHAT YOU CAN SPEND. PLATTVILLE, WISCONSIN WON A DISNEYWORLD CONTEST THAT WILL FEATURE A 16 MINUTE $100,000 SHOW TOMORROW NIGHT.....Maquoketa's longtime Postmaster, Charles Wharton, retired this week. Has been in the Maquoketa office since 1977. He was not available for comment but Postal officals said they believed he plans to remain in Maquoketa and continue his hohhies of fishing and golfing. Dan Saunders of Monticello has been named Officer In Charge and said a new Postmaster probably won't be named until the first of the year.......A Maquoketa woman was killed in a Clinton County car accident last night by Welton, but the Sheriff's Department has refused to release any information yet, for some unknown reason. Lady is believed to be around 20. I'll have more on my next report. KMAQ-AM will broadcast the DeWitt Parade at DeWitt at 10 tomorrow, with News Director Sheri Melvold at the mike and I'll broadcast the Bellevue parade at 10 tomorrow from downtown Bellevue.....Have a fun and safe 4th of July.
Dennis Voy
- Friday, July 03, 1998 at 18:50:30 (EDT)