All state court employees have an unpaid day off today (Friday) in a cost-cutting measure implemented by the state judicial system to make up for cuts in the system budget. Judges will be working today, but their offices won’t be open to the public. Budget cuts are hitting all areas of state government, including the state park system as the unofficial kickoff to the summer camping season arrives. Julie Sparks with the D-N-R’s State Parks Bureau, says campers shouldn’t notice many issues.

“We’re keeping up our campsites pretty well. There may be a little delayed maintenance in some of our parks because of some of the staffing challenges that we have,” Sparks says.

Campers were allowed to start reserving sites for this weekend three months in advance, and the sites fill up quickly. Sparks says they are ready to get the season underway. “For the most part we’re really excited and anxious to have people come to our parks — of course that generates revenue for us too — so we love to have our campers come there and visit.”

It has been a cool wet spring, but Sparks says it looks like there may be some good weather for the weekend. “We’re all hopeful,” Sparks says. “It’s beautiful, our Iowa springs, it’s a good time to be camping and out in our parks, that’s for sure.”

(Radio Iowa)