MAQUOKETA GOT OVER AN INCH OF RAIN OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS
WEEK, WE WILL HAVE 30-PLUS WEATHER UNTIL THURSDAY AND
IN THE MID 20'S FRIDAY. TODAY, MOSTLY CLOUDY AND SUNNY TOMORROW.

BIG STORY THIS MORNING! JUST BEFORE 1 THIS MORNING, MIKE AND KANDY
FRANZEN , WHO LIVE NORTH OF MONMOUTH, CAME CLOSE TO BEING KILLED
BY AN APPARENT ROBBER. KANDY HEARD A NOISE, AWOKE MIKE AND
SAID SOMEONE IS AT THE DOOR. THE DOOR BELL HAD RUNG. MIKE WENT
TO FRONT DOOR AND NO ONE WAS THERE. SINCE THEY ALSO HAVE A DOORBELL FOR THE BACK GARAGE DOOR, SHE SAID SOMEONE MUST BE AT THAT DOOR. MIKE OPENED IT AND THEN THE GARAGE DOOR AND THERE
A MAN STOOD WEARING A SKI MASK AND WITH A SHOTGUN IN HIS HAND. HE WAS JUST A FEW FEET FROM MIKE AND AIMED THE GUN AT HIS CHEST AND
MIKE VERY QUICKLY SLAMMED THE DOOR AND THE GUN WENT OFF
AND HIT THE STEEL DOOR. A COUPLE BEE-BEES GOT THROUGH AND
ONE HIT HIS HAND. HIS ONLY INJURY IS THE SLIGHT ONE TO HIS HAND. HE,
IN T-SHIRT AND UNDERWEAR, QUICKLY GOT KANDY (WHO HEARD
THE GUN SHOT AND THOUGHT MIKE WAS SHOT) AND THEY WENT OUTSIDE
AND STOOD BEHIND A TREE, LOOKING TO SEE IF THE MAN WAS STILL AROUND. AFTER A SHORT TIME, WHEN NOTHING COULD BE HEARD, MIKE TOLD KANDY WAS GOING INSIDE FOR A CELL PHONE. WHEN HE GOT THE CELL PHONE, HE WENT INTO THE BEDROOM AS HE DIDN'T WANT THE LIGHT ON THE CELL PHONE TO MAKE HIM A TARGET. HE CALLED FOR HELP AND SHERIFF DEPUTIES, AND A MAQUOKETA POLICEMAN WHERE ON THE SCENE IN 10 OR MORE MINUTES. SHORTLY AFTER, JOINED BY JONES COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTIES, THE OFFICERS SEARCHED THE MAIN HOUSE, THE OLDER HOME ON THE PROPERTY, OTHER OUT BUILDINGS AND FOUND NO ONE. FROM THE START, MIKE HAD SEEN ONLY ONE MAN AND HE WAS DESCRIBED AS WEARING BLUE JEANS, A GREEN SHIRT AND A BLACK SKI MASK. HE DIDN'T NOTICE IF HE WORE GLOVES. MIKE TOLD KMAQ NEWS THIS MORNING THAT HE FELT LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AND WAS GLAD THAT THE DOOR BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND GARAGE IS A STEEL DOOR. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE APPARENT ROBBER IS ASKED TO CALL THE JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AT 563-652-3312.

DENNIS VOY