That’s the cost the city will bear to get a close look under the Raccoon River Park’s fishing pier, which was surrounded with an orange, plastic fence all season due to damage left behind by last winter’s brutal temperatures.

High water had closed the pier periodically in past years, then winter delivered more ice than the structure could handle. “The ice actually got underneath and lifted it off the supports,” the parks department’s recreation director, Todd Seaman, said.

Parks director Sally Ortgies closed the pier while the city’s insurance company, the contractor, and the designer debated who would handle the cost for repairs. When the ice melted last spring, high water slowed the inspection process.

Raccoon River Park, 2440 Grand Ave., is considered the “crown jewel” of the city’s parks system. It comprises nearly 632 acres and features Blue Heron Lake, which is managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

United Contractors Inc. of Johnston has been hired to “de-water” an area around the pier so city inspectors can examine the extent of damage to the footings and deck. The city’s insurance provider will pick up half the cost.

No timetable for repairs, if needed, has been set.

The Illini Division of the $8 million Walmart Bass Fishing League will visit the Mississippi River in Fort Madison, Iowa, July 11 for the third of five regular-season events. As many as 200 boaters and 200 co-anglers are expected to compete in the tournament, which will award as much as $45,000 in cash, including a top award of $6,000 in the Boater Division.

If the winner is a participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, he or she will receive a $2,000 bonus from Ranger Boats. If the winner is not a Ranger Cup participant, Ranger will award $1,000 to the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant. That’s a potential top award of $8,000 for anglers who meet contingency guidelines.

Bombardier will award $1,000 to the winning boater if the winner’s boat is equipped with a qualifying Evinrude E-TEC or Direct Injection outboard.

The winning co-angler will earn as much as $3,000 cash.

Big Bass awards of up to $1,000 and $500, respectively, will also be awarded in the Boater and Co-angler Divisions.

Anglers may register for the tournament online at FLWOutdoors.com or by calling (270) 252-1000. Onsite registration will be held July 10 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Riverview Park located at 6th Street & H Ave., in Fort Madison. Entry fees are $200 for boaters and $100 for co-anglers.

Captain Kirk’s Marina in Fort Madison will host the takeoff and weigh-in at 6 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.

Quasquicentennial/Bully Bullhead Celebration July 10-12 in Ruthven, IA

If you need a reason to get out of town this weekend, head on up to Ruthven for their Quasquicentennial Celebration.

Saturday morning there will be a full days worth of fun with over 30 events on the schedule. The day will start out at 7 a.m. with the annual BBW(Bully Bullhead Weekend) Fishing Contest on Lost Island Lake. Four tagged bullheads are released into the lake, with a $500 bounty on them for those who register at Murphy’s Bait Shop north of Ruthven. There are also other prizes to go fishing for in this event.

River Phest 13 July 11 – Meet behind the Casey’s in Van Meter at 12:30

River Phest is an annual river float party on the Raccoon River in Van Meter, IA. The party began by a group of 28 high school friends in 1997 and has continued ever since on the first Saturday after the Fourth of July. It was to begin as a float trip starting at the Puckerbrush River Access one mile north of Van Meter on the North Raccoon River. The end would be a sandbar known to the locals as “Two Rivers,” located a half a mile upstream from Van Meter where the North Raccoon and South Raccoon Rivers merge to become the Raccoon River before flowing east to Polk County and the Des Moines River. The sandbar would be the site of a post-party and camp-out.