THEIR HOPES UP TO HAVE A TARGET HERE. WHAT APPEAR TO BE A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OUTSIDE THIS VACANT HOSPITAL IN MARSHALLTOWN STIRRED UP A LOT OF EXCITEMENT THERE THIS WEEK. IT SAID TARGET COMING SOON. THIS WAS THE SIGN THAT WAS POSTED OUT FRONT OUTSIDE THE OLD UNITY POINT MEDICAL CENTER. BIG NEWS FOR A TOWN WHERE THE NEAREST TARGET, 45 MINUTES AWAY. THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT WAS A FAKE KCCI. THE ANDREW MOLLENBECK SPOKE TO NEIGHBORS WHO SAY THEY KNEW IT WAS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IF THE PRANK REVEALED ANYTHING, IT’S THAT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN MARSHALLTOWN WOULD LOVE HAVING A TARGET. NOW, I’VE JUST LOOKED UP ON MY PHONE HOW FAR YOU HAVE TO DRIVE TO GET TO ONE. IT’S 36 MILES ON DUFF AVENUE IN AMES. THIS IS THE SIGN THAT PLAYED WITH PEOPLE’S HEARTS AND STIRRED UP THE SMALL TALK. AND THIS IS THE SIGN THAT BROKE THOSE HEARTS. THE COMING SOON PROMISE WAS ONLY A PRANK. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD THINK IT’S SUPER MEAN BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A TARGET HERE. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD THINK IT’S VERY FUNNY BECAUSE THEY KNOW FOR A FACT THERE’S NO WAY ON EARTH THAT THERE’D BE A TARGET HERE IN MARSHALLTOWN. THAT SENTIMENT SEEMS TO BE SHARED AROUND TOWN. IT’D BE NICE, BUT IT JUST DIDN’T SEEM BELIEVABLE FOR A TARGET TO POP UP RIGHT HERE ON THIRD AVENUE WOULD BE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SO WISHFUL THINKING, THOUGH. OH, MY GOD. I WOULD LOVE FOR A TARGET TO BE ACROSS THE STREET. I WOULD LOVE IT. UNITY POINTS AND JUST A STATEMENT SAYING IN PART, THIS WAS SOMEONE’S LIGHTHEARTED PRANK AND THAT THE COVERING HAS BEEN REMOVED. WE CAN CONFIRM THAT WE HAVEN’T HAD ANY DISCUSSION WITH TARGET CORPORATION ABOUT THE NEW STORE LOCATION AND OUR PROPERTY REMAINS FOR SALE. THAT MEANS TARGET STILL REQUIRES A TRIP. THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THEIR HOPES UP TO HAVE A TARGET HERE. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THE PRANKSTER? WE’RE NOT VERY NICE. YOU WASTED A LOT OF PEOPLE’S TIME AND DREAMS IN MARSHALLTOWN. ANDREW MOLLENBEC