Tuesday, November 07, 2006

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER FOR ELECTION DAY AND SO FAR, VOTER TURN OUT
IS GOOD IN MAQUOKETA.

THE BEAR CREEK NARCOTICS TASK FORCE RAIDED A RURAL MAQUOKETA HOME AND FOUND ONE OF THE BIGGEST INDOOR MARIJUANA GROWING OPERATIONS THEY'VE EVER SEEN. THE TASK FORCE CONDUCTED THE SEARCH WARRANT AT BRIAN AND KATHLEEN KOCH'S HOME AT 9951 74TH STREET, IN SOUTH FORK TOWNSHIP, ON 40 ACRES ALONG THE MAQUOKETA RIVER. BRIAN KOCH, AGE 56, WAS CHARGED WITH MANUFACTURING A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, MARIJUANA....POSSESSION OF A CONTROLED SUBSTANCE, MARIJUA WITH INTENT TO DELIVER AND FAILAURE TO AFFIX A DRUG TAX STAMP. ADDITONAL CHARGES ARE PENDING. KOCH WAS ARRRESTED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND IS IN THE JACKSON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER ON $9,750 SECURED BOND. OFFICERS LOADED THE BACK OF TWO PICKUPS, THE BACK SEAT OF A SQUAD CAR, AND THE BACK SEAT OF AN EXTENDED CAB PICKUP WITH BAGS OF MARIJUANA.

A LONGTIME JACKSON COUNTY ESTABLISHEMENT, MOONEY HOLLOW BARN, HAS NEW OWNERS. IT IS LOCATED ON HIGHWAY 52 AT GREEN ISLAND. IT IS KNOWN FORHAVING THE SILO ALONGSIDE THE BARN THAT HAS A HUGE VIOLIN PAINTED ON IT. NEW OWNERS ARE KEVIN PETESH AND TONY VANLEER. THEY BOTH PLAYED ON THE BELLEVUE COMET FOOTBALL TEAM IN 1974 AND GRADUATED FROM BELLEVUE HIGH SCHOOL.
PETESH RECENTLY RETIRED AS A LT. COLONEL AFTER 24 YEARS IN THE U.S. AIRFORCE AND VANLEER HAS LIVED AND WORKED IN TEXAS FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. BOTH ARE GLAD TO BE BACK IN THEIR HOMETOWN AND ANXIOUS TO GET THE BARN OPEN AGAIN. IT WILL FEATURE COUNTRY MUSIC DANCES AND THE FIRST ONE IS THIS SATURDAY NIGHT.

TEN DEER ACCIDENTS THE PAST 5 DAYS IN CLINTON COUNTY.

VOTE TODAY. POLLS OPEN UNTIL 9. KMAQ ELECTION COVERAGE WILL START AT 9.

I'LL HAVE THE RESULTS TOMORROW... SO BE SURE TO CHECK IN FOR THE LOCAL RETURNS.

DENNIS VOY