House Fire Destroys Fort Madison Home
March 09, 2010 ~ 0 CommentsTHE FORT MADISON FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTS A HOUSE WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE LATE SUNDAY NIGHT. AROUND 10:50 P-M SUNDAY, FIREFIGHTERS WERE CALLED TO 2802 AVENUE O FOR A HOUSE FIRE. UPON ARRIVAL, FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY THERE WAS HEAVY FIRE SHOWING OUT OF THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HOUSE. ACCORDING TO A MEDIA RELEASE, THE FIRE STATED ON THE BACK PORCH OF THE HOUSE, BUT THE CAUSE REMAINS UNKNOWN. FIRE CHIEF JOEY HERREN SAYS THE HOME OF FRANK AND JANET LAWLER WAS A TOTAL LOSS, ESTIMATED AT 70-THOUSAND DOLLARS. ONE FIREFIGHTER SUSTAINED A KNEE INJURY WHILE FIGHTING THE BLAZE. HIS CONDITION IS UNKNOWN. THERE WERE NO OTHER INJURIES REPORTED.
Possible Meth Lab Explosion in Keokuk Hotel
March 09, 2010 ~ 0 CommentsPOLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR A SUSPECTED METH MAKER AFTER AN EXPLOSION TORE THROUGH A KEOKUK MOTEL ROOM EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL REPORTS, POLICE AND FIRE UNITS WERE SUMMONED TO THE CHIEF MOTEL AROUND 1:30 SUNDAY MORNING. FIRE OFFICIALS STATE THAT ROOM 108 OF THE HOTEL SHOWED EXPLOSION DAMAGE THAT CARRIED OUT THROUGH A CONNECTED ATTIC TO DAMAGE A FRONT SOFFIT OF THE BUILDING AS WELL. POLICE OFFICIALS SUSPECT THE EXPLOSION CAME FROM A METH LAB IN THE ROOM, BUT THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING AT THIS POINT. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES IN THE BLAST.
Reynolds Paints Grim Financial Future
March 09, 2010 ~ 0 CommentsKEOKUK SCHOOL BOARD SECRETARY GREG REYNOLDS DIDN’T HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF GOOD FINANCIAL NEWS TO PRESENT THAT BODY AT LAST NIGHT’S MEETING. ACCORDING TO REYNOLDS, THE DISTRICT WILL SEE ITS CASH BALANCE REDUCED BY NEARLY 1.8 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IF DRASTIC CUTS ARE NOT MADE TO THE BUDGET. PART OF THE REASON FOR THE BUDGET CRUNCH IS A REDUCTION IN ENROLLMENT IN THE DISTRICT THAT REDUCES FEDERAL AND STATE MONEY BY 320 DOLLARS PER LOST STUDENT – TOTALLING 670-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
Citizens Oppose Keokuk Music Cuts
March 09, 2010 ~ 0 CommentsAROUND 75 CONCERNED STUDENTS AND PARENTS ATTENDED LAST NIGHT’S KEOKUK SCHOOL BOARD MEETING TO EXPRESS THEIR OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS TO THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT. THE PROPOSED CUTS WOULD ELIMINATE A FULL TIME BAND DIRECTOR AT THE KEOKUK MIDDLE SCHOOL AS PART OF OVER 900-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN BUDGET REDUCTIONS FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. SEVERAL SPEAKERS URGED THE BOARD TO FIND ALTERNATIVES TO CUTTING FUNDS AND TEACHERS FROM THE MUSIC PROGRAM. THE BOARD’S CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSAL WOULD CUT OVER 76-THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT, BUT A FINAL PROPOSAL ON THOSE CUTS WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD ON MARCH 29TH.
