Something Big May Be Brewing

     O.K! The rumors are getting heftier and more widespread so the Kornerman has decided to speak in more detail about the "hint" we've given in recent editions about something "big" involving the Boone business community. I'm sure this is not news to some of you locals by now but it probably will be to our "outside" viewers.
     There's been no formal announcement but, apparently, Redeker Furniture is contemplating a possible move to an area east of town. One positive is that Stanley Redeker, himself, has asked the zoning commission of Boone County to consider a request to rezone approximately 57.07 acres of land from A-1, Agriculture Conservation, to C-1, Commercial. A public hearing before the commission will be held July 28. That info is a given.
     The area in question is located in Colfax township and, in it's simplest terms, would be described as the southeast corner of the intersection of Highway 30 and Highway 17 approximately three miles east of Boone and just south of the Farm Progress show area. That's south of Highway 30 and east of Highway 17.
     According to the rumor mill, the firm would like to have all of their assets "under one roof" and would like additional parking availability. Currently, their warehouse is a non-connected building across the street from the main facility and, from casual looks, it would seem, more parking could be used, at least at certain times.
    Perhaps more information will be forthcoming after the zoning hearing, if not before. In the meantime, or, until their is more official word, added rumors are sure to surface.
K-----K
    It's ironic that a short note we received from Mike Loehrer this week fit rather neatly into the big story of the day. I assume Mike was unaware, at the time, of the "rumor." He wrote, "interesting about the massive growth spreading outward from DM. I can forsee the day when there will be few, if any, fields between Ames and Des Moines on I-35. So, the big question is, why has Boone stayed at 12,000 population since the early 1920's. Low property rates, I believe, would make Boone a fabulous bedroom community for Ames."
     Mike was initially referring to what we had mentioned in last week's edition about the huge population growth in Ankeny. And later, couldn't Mike have also said he could forsee the day when there would be few, if any, fields between Ames and Boone on Highway 30?
    It does seem like Ames is growing more westward. Are we starting see signs of Boone growing more eastward and shall the twain ever meet? Not in the Kornerman's lifetime I'm sure.
K-----K
    Mark Tompkins also referred to something mentioned in the last edition. He wrote, "Mom had a friend, Sylvia Enquist, who, I believe, was once in the restaurant business. I think she owned the Embers out on the west side of Ames and, maybe, another place in Ankeny. The folks took me to the place near Ames in the summer of '63 the night before I left for Basic Training. I had my first lobster dinner there! I'm organizing for a month in Scotland, family on mom's side, and WWII battlefields in Belguim, Bulge, and Normandy, D-Day. Stay well and keep up the grand work."
K-----K
     The Kornerman received the most interesting series of maps from Tom Peterson this week. To give you an idea, there was a map that showed all the countries where there are McDonald's restaurants, there was one that showed all the rivers that feed into the Mississippi, there was one that showed all the countries that don't use the metric system and there was one that showed all the countries where they drive on the left side of the road. Twenty-five different maps in all. By the way, the U.S., Alaska and just a couple others are the only countries that don't use the metric system.
     The map that intrigued the old Kornerman the most was a map that showed, in each state, who were the highest paid public employees.........In 24 states, the highest paid public employee is a football coach and in 13 state's it's a basketball coach. A hockey coach is the highest paid in one state. All told, there are only eight states where the highest paid public employee is not a coach. Four college presidents make the list, there is a law school dean listed for one state and the remainder have top paid employees connected with the medical profession.
K-----K
     No "new" news on the proposed 70th BHS class reunion slated for September. That all-70's reunion is coming up July 25-27 and either Georgia Robertson or Deb Chadourne are contacts for additional information on that and that Iowa By the Sea picnic to be held in front of the battleship IOWA at the Los Angeles Pier is coming August 2 and reservations must be in by July 26. Further information can be obtained at the website
http://www.iowabytheseapicnic.com/
K-----K
     Boone Area Deaths: Lowell Daniels, 89, Polk City-Perry. Boone area survivor is a daughter, Lorrie Banks of Ogden..........Donald Nell, 87, rural Boone. Born in Boone. Stanhope High. Grain farmer north of Boone. Boone area survivors include his sister Myra Nell of Ames, and his sister-in-law Marcella Nell of Boone.
     There were a couple of Nell brothers, Edmund and Orville, both deceased and the Kornerman remembers the Nell boys as being very good softball players in their youthful days. One of the many teams in the area in the 40's and 50's was the Oddfellows team and, for some reason, I connect the Nell boys with that team. Maybe that's incorrect???
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/corrections (oh no)........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.