Boone and the White House (Boone Area News You Won't Get Anywhere Else)

     Betcha can't name the Boone resident that spent some time with President Obama at the White House Wednesday of this week.
     Yes, Boone's Gretta Irwin was at the White House when President Obama pardoned a pair of Iowa turkeys from possible Thanksgiving Day doom. Its a tradition that started when Harry Truman was President of the United States and its continued each year since.
     For the sixth time, Iowa turkeys, this year named Tater and Tot, were selected for pardoning. John Reicks, Chairman of the National Turkey Federation, decided on the Hawkeye state's birds.
     Gretta is Executive Director and Home Economist for the Iowa Turkey Federation and led the Iowa delegation to the event which featured the annual pardoning by the President.
     Gretta and her husband, Charles Irwin, and their three children live in Boone. She has been employed by the Ames-based Turkey Federation for 19 years after graduation from Central College and a time as a high school Home Economics teacher. She also has three years of experience in food service. Gretta has continued to  put her home economics background to good use at the Iowa Turkey Federation; she compiled the Iowa Turkey Federation's first cookbook in 2007 and is currently working on a second.
     It was a quick trip to Washington D.C. and back. Early the morning after the pardoning, Gretta was interviewed on WHO-radio on the Van and Bonnie show about her White House experience, including all the security measures that were imposed.
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     A former Boone resident, David Fisher, BHS-55, now a Des Moines businessman, captures more than half of one of the Des Moines Register's editorial pages yesterday (Friday) with a column he wrote, "UI: Say "No" to Friday Night Football."
     Recently, the Big Ten Conference, along with some other collegiate conferences across the country, announced they would start scheduling some of their football games on Friday night. You can be sure, financial considerations were part of their decision for wanting to do so.
     However, forever, Friday night has been proclaimed THE night for high school football. You can see the possibility of numerous clashes here and the possibility of this proposal being especially hurtful to high schools and their expected revenues from that night. And that's not even to mention some spectator decisions that will be required........"I have season tickets to the college game but a son playing in the high school game etc."
     Fisher's "Iowa View" column is very much opposed to the Big Ten's decision and he concludes his column with, "UI President Bruce Harreld and Athletic Director Gary Barta should stand up and just say "no" loud and clear to this proposal."
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     Quick Notes: (1) Ran into Tim Duffy, BHS-74, who said he and  his wife, Cindy Howard Duffy, BHS-75, were "home" for a big Howard family Thanksgiving bash. We provided the Korner's website address and Tim promised that Cindy, the families computer whiz, would give us (the Korner) a look now and then.
     (2) Mark Tompkins, BHS-60, sent me a picture of classmate Tom Grasso in celebration of Tom's 75th birthday. The picture shows Tom proudly displaying some new Superman pajamas.
     (3) Vern Modeland, BHS-50, sent a myriad of pictures, primarily Boone railroad pictures of all kinds and sizes.
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     JUST A MINUTE.
     Here we thought we had this Northwestern Hotel location finalized. Last week, Tom Matt, BHS-60, had a picture of a building at West Second and Main Streets with a sign on the building site that read, "Northwestern Hotel." Question settled? No, wait one minute.
     Now, the Korner has received another picture from Larry Lindmark, BHS-63, of the downtown depot and clearly on the front of the depot is a sign that reads, "Northwestern Hotel."
     So........apparently there were at least two Northwestern Hotels in Boone.
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     We still have additional depot material, in depth, for our next edition thanks to Anthony Crandell, BHS-59, Vern Modeland, BHS-50, and Jerry Manriquez, BSH-57.
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     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Janet Grimm Jacob, Ill. Boone area survivor is a sister, Betty Burt, Ogden........Mabel Moeller, 86, Boone. Born in Boone. BHS-48. Was a teacher for 32 years, 25 of those at Trinity Lutheran School. Boone area survivors include daughters, Pattilee Frei and Danelle McBirnie, both of Boone, sister, Maxine Anderson, of Des Moines, and sister in laws, Beverly Sturtz, Carol Moeller and Mary Ann Granzberg all of Boone.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT.......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.