School Patrons Begin Campaign

BOONE, Iowa---Boone School District patrons supporting an effort to improve Boone High School have quietly begun their campaign with a place on Facebook. A recent meeting drew a couple of dozen people. The Facebook page, Boone High School: It's Time, also features an informational brochure. Earlier this year, the School Board reviewed options to deal with facility issues at the High School. A plan was offered and financing details were worked out. The process will now require patrons to petition the school board to move ahead with a bond issue.

Nelson Likes City's Position

BOONE, Iowa---Boone City Administrator Luke Nelson says he likes the position the city is in as the fiscal year concludes. Nelson says the situation hasn't changed much since budget time and progress has been made on establishing some reserves in necessary accounts like the general fund portion of the city's operation. Nelson says many have expressed concern about the pending actions of the legislature, but he says once the state is done with their work, then the city will find a way to adapt. Nelson was on the KWBG News/Public Affairs Program "Tuned In" Wednesday.

Supervisors Consider Technology Changes

BOONE, Iowa---Boone County Supervisors met with Department Heads Wednesday to talk about possible changes that could be made in computer applications. The County has operated a main frame system serviced by Solutions, Inc. Over the past couple of years, technology advancements have been made using PCs and networks. The Board has asked Department Heads and their IT Committee to consider the future needs of the county and determine if cost savings are available by making changes in their technology.

Emergency Declared For Storm Damage

BOONE, Iowa---Boone Mayor John Slight has taken steps to declare an emergency for the city following Sunday night's severe thunderstorm. The action puts in motion city personnel to begin cleaning up on street trees and eventually picking up branches that residents move to the parking. City Parks and Public Works have actually been doing street tree clean up since Sunday night. Residents may move branches, less than 12" in diameter, to the parking so city personnel will be able to remove them. Branches should be moved my Monday, July 4th. It may take a couple of weeks to get all the branches removed.

Supervisors Wrap Up Fiscal Year Wednesday

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Board of Supervisors will wrap up their fiscal year with their last regular meeting Wednesday. The Board does have a number of personnel matters to address. The Board will also meet with Jack Reed a representative of Iowa Negotiation Services for a presentation on Employer Services. The Board will also amend their agenda to take action on an agreement Jail Medical Services.

RAGBRAI Volunteers

BOONE, Iowa---Many volunteers are still needed to help with the overnight stop by RAGBRAI. Jennifer Ellis and Kay Rouse have been helping to facilitate the volunteers and told KWBG that there are already about 200 Boone and Boone County residents stepping up for the event. They said they would like another 600 volunteers. Rouse says people are welcome to volunteer for a couple of hours at a time. Ellis says people can find out about volunteering or hosting riders by visiting the Boone RAGBRAI page here. She says click on the Vendor and Volunteer tab to find a volunteer form and contact information.

Ogden Receives Grant

OGDEN, Iowa---The City of Ogden has been successful in obtaining a grant of more than $52,000 to get technical assistance to support the development of a local foods aggregation network. The idea started out as a way to locally grown produce to a ready market, all the youth camps in Boone County. Since the idea first came up, interest has grown and the grant will help with the details of putting the program together. The grant is part of the rural Business Enterprise Grant program from the USDA Rural Development.

Radio Demonstration

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone Amateur Radio Klub, BARK for short, will participate in the annual demonstration of wireless communication Saturday and Sunday. The club has set up near the Cap Erbe Park for the past several years and will be back at that location this weekend. Grant Olson is a club members and says this weekend will be a great opportunity for those that are interested in becoming a ham or amateur radio operator. Olson says several club members will be on had to help the public and answer questions. BARK will be set up from Saturday at 1:00 PM until Sunday at 9:00 AM.

Gospel Fest Saturday

BOONE, Iowa---The annual Herman Park Gospel Fest will be held Saturday at the Herman Park Pavilion in Boone. A dozen gospel acts from Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska are slated to perform Saturday afternoon and evening. There's no charge to attend. Free will offerings are accepted. The number of acts and fans continues to grow for this event.

RAGBRAI Mural Donations

BOONE, Iowa---Megan Yoder and Jon Hodges plan to paint a mural on the south wall of the building at 807 Story Street is making some pretty good progress. The two started out looking for supplies, equipment, paint and volunteers to help with the effort. Dan Niday, owner of Boone Hardware has been working with the group and told KWBG on the Morning Show Thursday that the cost of all the paint is now covered. He says there will still be a need for supplies and volunteers.

Troops Looking Forward To Homecoming

BOONE, Iowa---Chief Warrant Officer Robert Flynn and Sgt. 1st Class Reagan Metcalf say they are looking forward to wrapping up their tour in Afghanistan. Flynn and Metcalf interviewed with KWBG News Thursday. The interview is available on kwbg.com, use the Audio Tab and select Special Podcasts. Flynn and Metcalf are each on their 4th deployment. Both are members of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, based in Boone.

Hospital Board Will Consider IT Purchase

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Hospital Board of Trustees has been consider several different matters in making a decision about digit record keeping. The wait is apparently close to over. The Board will consider a staff recommendation during their Thursday meeting that will involve the purchase of the Meditech system. Digital record keeping is being mandated by the federal government, which also makes reimbursement available. However, hospitals will need to cover the cost until they are reimbursed. The Trustees meet Thursday evening at the Boone County Hospital.

RAGBRAI Reception Gains Some Volunteers

BOONE, Iowa---The 2011 Boone RAGBRAI Committees gathered for a public reception at the City View Reception Room at the Gigglin Goat Tuesday and had a chance to let the public learn more about the late July visit to Boone. Committees gave presentations and also signed up volunteers. Vicki Greco heads the Housing Committee and says there's still a need for more Host Families. She says information on hosting and volunteering was included in the recent Boone Utility Bill. More information is available here.

Salvage Yards Receive Approval

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Board of Supervisors did grant approval to several salvage yards in Boone County during a Wednesday meeting. In the last several years, the County has been particularly concerned about the salvage yards and making sure they are in compliance with their operations. Five operators gained approval this week, all with one-year renewals. A couple of recently completed a probationers were discussed, but staff recommendations were to accept the improved operations and grant the permits. Over the years, the County has had to close down a number of illegal salvage yards after receiving complaints.

Superviosrs Look For Potential Appointees

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Board of Supervisors is asking for interested county residents to consider serving on various boards and commissions. The effort to recruit interested residents will not only give the Board a pool of qualified and interested individuals, but will also help them meet state law requiring gender balance. To help, a list of vacancies and the necessary forms for consideration are all be made available on the county website.

Common Thread Consortium

MADRID, Iowa---The Madrid City Council will consider participation in the Common Thread Consortium, an effort to have several communities with like interests working together to promote themselves. The Ogden City Council took action earlier this month to share in the Consortium. Perry is the largest city involved and together the group is using the expertise of Iowa State University in developing a logo to identify the group and it's participants.

Council to Finalize Insurance Change

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Council is slated to take action, finalizing the change in health insurance carriers for city personnel. Two weeks ago, the Council accepted a recommendation from staff to switch to UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company and their Iowa Public Employers Pool. Action to approve the final documentation on the change over will be considered Monday evening.

Railroad Museum Ground Breaking

BOONE, Iowa---Several people turned out for the formal ground breaking ceremony for the James H. Andrew Railroad Museum and History Center Friday morning. Fenner Stevenson, General Manager for the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad was delighted with the turnout and says he's looking forward to helping bring the project to a reality. A 9,000 square foot addition will join the current railroad museum and depot and will feature a theatre and library, plus the collection of James H. Andrew. Andrew from Jefferson says he's excited to keep his collection together and available for the public. The Boone City Council will consider the project site plan when they meet Monday.

House Fire

BOONE, Iowa---Boone Fire Fighters teamed up with Ogden Fire Fighters to battle a house fire at 1504 Marshall Street in Boone Thursday afternoon. County records indicate the home is owned by Laura McGlynn. Officials say no one was home at the time of the fire. A neighbor called in the the report and was able to save pets. The fire reportedly originated in or near a bedroom then spread out the window into the attic. The bedroom was gutted and there was extensive smoke and water damage through out the home. The cause remains under investigation. Fire fighters were assisted by Boone County Search and Rescue and Boone County Ambulance.

Salvation Army Leadership Change

BOONE, Iowa---The Salvation Army of Boone has announced a change of leadership. Envoys Tim and Peggy North are being transferred to Fremont, Nebraska. The Norths will be replaced in Boone by Lieutenant William and Captain Robin Rutledge. The change in leadership is scheduled for Wednesday, June 29th.

Communications Upgrade

BOONE, Iowa---The federal mandate is changing communication systems across the country and the change will affect Boone County. Local emergency responders have a committee meeting to work through the issues surrounding a change to Narrow Band Communications. Rick Lampe has been handling the County Communication Center and told the Supervisors this week that a money may need to be borrowed to cover the cost of the change. Nothing has been finalized, but decisions need to be made soon. The change over is required by the end of 2012.

Mural Effort Underway

BOONE, Iowa---An effort is underway to paint a mural on the wall of 807 Story Street in downtown Boone, before RAGBRAI on July 26th. Megan Yoder and Jon Hodges have started the effort and are seeking support and donations, lots of donations. The vacant wall was left after the demolition of fire damaged buildings last year. Quite a bit of work remains to preserve the wall which has seen some deterioration. Donations may be monetary or through supplies, painting items like scaffolding and ladders and volunteers. More information can be found here.

Fun Days

OGDEN, Iowa---Ogden Fun Days will kick off Friday and signals a return of the community celebration to mid-June. It also signals a return of a carnival, the Bill Riley Talent Show and a downtown car show. Meanwhile, in the Ogden City Park, the Senior Food Stand, a mainstay of the celebration, entertainment and bingo can all be found. Jan Jensen, Fun Days Co-Chair, says a big change Saturday will be moving the parade to 5:00 PM. Sunday will include a High School Jazz Band Performance, in the park at 1:00 PM.

Supervisors Approve Notice of Intent

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Board of Supervisors have approved a Notice of Intent to be submitted to state and federal officials indicating an interest in applying for a Hazardous Mitigation Grant. The Iowa 4-H Foundation sought out assistance from the Supervisors. The Supervisors would still have an option to withdraw from the project, at least until a grant is received. That's the big question. Grants will be issued on a first come, first served basis and just applying will not assure that one will be awarded to Boone County. The grant would fund the construction of a storm shelter at the 4-H Camp near Madrid.

School District Hires Staff

BOONE, Iowa---Staffing for the next school year is pretty well set for the Boone School District. Superintendent Brad Manard says the district was able to find some very good candidates to fill vacancies, including a new Director of Buildings and Grounds. Manard says Mark Ashby has accepted the position and will begin his duties the first of July. Ashby will replace Dean Berkland who is stepping down and will fill another position in the department.

High Trestle Trail Vandalism

BOONE, Iowa---Authorities are continuing their investigation into the theft of more than a dozen light fixtures from the High Trestle Trail Bridge near Madrid. The Boone County Conservation Board was updated this week by Director Andy Hockenson. Hockenson says the Boone County Sheriff's Department is handling the investigation and already has suspects. So far no charges have been filed. He explained that the fixtures cost over $400 each. Funds left over from the construction will cover the cost of replacing the fixtures and providing additional security.

Conservation Board Approves Trail Guidelines

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Conservation has formally adopted the trail rules and guidelines for the High Trestle Trail in Boone County. The rules are expected to be similar to other counties and also pretty similar to the City of Madrid. Conservation Director Andy Hockenson says the rules will be posted along the trail and are also available on line. The Conservation Board did include a portion about the responsibilities of parents and guardians and children on or adjacent to the High Trestle Trail Bridge.

Supervisors to Consider Foundation Agreement

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Board of Supervisors will consider approval of an agreement between Boone County and the Iowa 4-H Foundation that will help the foundation obtain a Hazardous Mitigation Grant for a storm shelter at the Iowa 4-H Camp near Madrid. The only cost to the county would be handling the paperwork as funds were transferred to the foundation from FEMA. The foundation was not eligible to receive the grant, but the County can and is able to transfer funds to the foundation.

Cemetery Decorations

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone Park Commission has decided to have stricter enforcement of the guidelines that regulate decorations on graves at the Linwood Park Cemetery. City staff reported several incidents of violations and the Commission, after a review of the long time guidelines and policies decided strict enforcement will be needed to curb the problem. One of the issues was the placement of solar powered lights which was used as an example of a violation of the policy. A very short period of time will be allowed for family members to remove excessive decorations.

Site Plans Up for Review

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Planning and Zoning Commission reviews two site plans Monday. One for the Iowa Railroad Historical Society for a Museum Building to be built near the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad Depot. At the last City Council meeting, the Council voted to not to forgive the building permit fee of nearly $4,800. The project is estimated to cost some $850,000. The second site plan is for Cyclone Car Credit in the 300 block of Mamie Eisenhower Avenue.

Ogden Fun Days

OGDEN, Iowa---The Ogden Fun Days Committee has made some changes for the 2011 community celebration. One of the first changes, the event has returned to mid-June, taking place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Jan Jensen, Co-Chair says this year a carnival has been booked for the weekend. Other changes include moving the big parade to Saturday afternoon and the car show in downtown Ogden on Friday. Additional information for fans of Fun Days can be found here.

Storm Damage

BOONE, Iowa---A thunderstorm followed by a wind advisory affected Central Iowa late Monday morning and into the early afternoon. Emergency responders were spotting during a Thunderstorm Warning that affected southern Boone County and northern Dallas County. Some heavy rain fell, but no serious problems have been reported at this time. Following the thunderstorm, winds began to blow at 40-to-50 miles per hour. Authorities did report some damage, mostly tree branches from the strong gust winds. No injuries have been reported at this time.

Boone County Soldier Injured in Afghanistan

BOONE, Iowa---A Boone County soldier, serving with the Iowa National Guard was one of four injured this week in Afghanistan. Colonel Greg Hapgood, Public Affairs Officers with the Iowa National Guard reported Friday that 40-year old Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Wilczak of Luther was part of the group attacked with an Improvised Explosive Devise while conducting combat operations in Laghman Province. Also injured were 26-year old 1st Lt. Nicholas R. Morris of Columbia, S.C.; 25 year old Sgt. Martin C. Ennor of Cedar Rapids and 26-year old Pvt. 1st Class Tyler M. Sirovy of Deep River, Iowa. Pictures of the four are included.

City Wide Clean Up

BOONE, Iowa---The second week of the Boone City Wide Clean Up will be held next week. City officials once again, urge residents with items to be thrown away to place those on their parking Sunday or very early on Monday. Last week, residents north of Mamie Eisenhower set out items and they were picked up. Early reports from Public Works were pretty good for residents following the rules. City personnel pickup up items that can not normally be disposed of with regular garbage pickup. Residents south of Mamie Eisenhower will set out items for next week.

Polk City Man Arrested on High Trestle Trail

BOONE, Iowa---Boone County Sheriff Ron Fehr says a deputy joined a Boone County Conservation Officer in arresting a 32-year old Polk City man for operating a golf cart on the High Trestle Trail. Fehr says initially the man fled from the Conservation Officer and went into Woodward. Once the deputy arrived, Troy A. Clarkson was taken into custody. Fehr says the charges include operating while intoxicated a second offense, eluding, driving while suspended, no registration and having a prohibited vehicle on a designated bike trail. The incident occurred about 9:00 Thursday evening.

School District Patrons to Begin Organizing

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone School Board would like to move ahead with a proposal to add on the the current high school, demolition a portion of the structure and remodel some of the current space. The Board's proposal has been presented a number of times since earlier this year and now, supporters of the project want to organize and formally call for a bond referendum and campaign for the project. By law, the district can only present the information. The actual vote will need to be sought by petition. A meeting for supporters will be held Monday at 7:00 PM at the Boone County Historical Center. Superintendent Brad Manard has been asked to provide and overview of the plan.

Ogden Council Considers Quietzone Report

OGDEN, Iowa---The Ogden City Council has received it's anticipated Quietzone Report. City Administrator Donovan Olson reviewed the report during Tuesday's Council meeting. Some of the aspects of the report include medians at crossings and other crossing refinements, estimated to cost more than $140,000. The Council discussed the report, but did not make any final decisions. Plans call for setting a public meeting to gather comments and present information on the possible project. That meeting has not been scheduled yet.

Council Denies Waiver on Building Permit Fee

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Council was asked to consider waiving the permit fee for the planned construction of a new Railroad Museum at the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. The estimated fee is just under $4,700 for a proposed $850,000 project. Boone Mayor John Slight said this week he supported the Council's 5 to nothing decision to keep the fee in place. Council members expressed concern about setting a precedent. Council members Fenner Stevenson and Gary Nystrom abstained from the vote because of a conflict of interest.

Foundation Seeks County Help

BOONE, Iowa---One of the highlights of the recently adopted Multi-Jurisdictional Hazardous Mitigation Plan is the fact that there are few storm shelters available at Boone County campgrounds. This week the Iowa 4-H Foundation asked the Boone County Supervisors for assistance in pursuing a grant to build a storm shelter at the 4-H Camp near Madrid. The Foundation would be responsible for the project, but the County would be the go between with FEMA. The Supervisors are expected to consider action on the request next week.

Construction Detour

BOONE, Iowa---Work is beginning on one of the last segments of the Boone sanitary sewer rehabilitation program. It's only about a block in length, but it's on Linn Street at the underpass. City officials say the underpass will remain open but traffic will be detoured in the immediate area. Work on the project is expected to take several weeks, even with good weather conditions. Last month, City Administrator Luke Nelson said the focus for dealing with the sewer back ups is changing from putting in bigger pipe to stopping to cause of additional storm water getting into the sanitary sewer.

Ogden Project Could be Expanded

OGDEN, Iowa---The Ogden City Council gave approval to a proposal that would move extra funds allocated for a mandated storm sewer project to do some additional work on the city's sanitary sewer rehabilitation project. The $1.2 million dollar storm sewer project actually funds left over. Work on the sanitary sewer rehabilitation project is nearing completion and also has a few dollars left over. Scott Renault of Fox Engineering told the council this week that several more blocks of sanitary sewer line could be rehabbed by redirecting the funds. Final approval must come from block grant officials with the state.

City Council Selects New Health Insurance

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Council has selected a new health insurance provider for Boone City employees. Monday the Council selected the Iowa Public Employers Pool, which is United Health Care River Valley. Boone Mayor John Slight says the employee committee working on the benefit and the consultants, Group Benefits Limited, recommended the change and the Council accepted that recommendation. Savings are expected to be about $250,000 per year. Slight says the health insurance benefit offered to employees is still one of the city's biggest expenses.

Computer Problem at Clinic

BOONE, Iowa---Boone County Family Medicine Clinics had a problem Monday with their computer, which scrambled all the appointments that had been made during the day. A spokesperson says the computer issues were resolved, but now, those that made appointments for the Boone County Family Medicine Clinics in Boone, Madrid or Ogden are being asked to once again call and verify their appointment date and time.

Council Committee Considers Policy

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Council's Utility Committee will be reviewing and considering confirmation of a policy dealing with delinquent water and sewer bills and the matter of re-instating service. Earlier discussions for about the matter led the Committee to develop a policy for the situation. The amount of delinquencies has been increasing and receiving payment and restoring service has sometimes become an issue. The Utility Committee meets at the City Hall on Wednesday at 4:00 PM.

Council Asked to Waive Building Fee

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Council is being asked to waive the building fee for the planned railroad museum for the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. Eric Hammer for R.H. Grabau Construction has submitted the request, noting the addition to the Boone and Scenic Valley will continue bring in additional tourists to the community and the Boone and Scenic Valley. The actual permit fee is almost $4,700. The City has traditionally waived fees for other taxing entities such as the school district, the hospital and the county. Permit fees for other entities are addressed individually by the Council.

Four Hospitalized Following Accident

BOONE, Iowa---Four people were hospitalized following a two-vehicle accident between Boone and Ogden Saturday afternoon. Sheriff Ron Fehr says a Deputy investigated the accident that occurred about 1:15 PM. 33-year old Jennifer A. Marshall of Boone was crossing US Highway 30 and collided with a vehicle operated 56-year old Nancy J. Halterman of Dana. Halterman and three passengers, 10-year old Gretta Halterman, 9-year old Olivia Halterman and 12-year old Yasmeen Huss were all transported by ambulance to Boone County Hospital where they were treated for their injuries. Marshall was cited with failing to yield upon entering a through highway.

Demolition of District Buildings Underway

BOONE, Iowa---Contractors began of process of demolishing two vacant elementary buildings last week. Boone School Superintendent Brad Manard says he expects the work will go quickly. Environmental contractors are handling the asbestos abatement. Two contracts were were approved, Lindstrom Environmental from Plymouth, Minnesota is working at the Lowell building and R-E-W Services is handling the Bryant building. Actually demolition will be handled by Anderson Excavating of Omaha. Anderson Excavating handled the demolition of the fire damaged buildings in downtown Boone in 2010.

Baltimore Explains Budget Proposal

BOONE, Iowa---State Representative Chip Baltimore says Republicans in the State House have compromised with themselves to put together an omnibus two-year budget and a package for property tax reform. He says actual debate in the House will be next week, but he expects both to pass. Baltimore says the Governor was kept up to date on the work because some of the compromises differed from his proposals, like a 40% reduction in commercial property taxes and maintaining the structure of the preschool program. Democrats have continued to press for additional spending in the next fiscal year, especially in education.

City Wide Clean Up

BOONE, Iowa---The first part of the Boone City Wide Clean Up begins this weekend as residents north of Mamie Eisenhower need to set items they want the City's Public Works Department to pick up beginning Monday. Boone Mayor John Slight says they will only pick up permitted items in the next week. Residents south of Mamie Eisenhower can set items out on Sunday, June 12th. For those that have appliances and tires, special arrangements need to be made. Information on the details of the City Wide Clean Up are available here.

Celebrate the Lake

PILOT MOUND, Iowa---Several different agencies have banded together to create the first time "Celebrate the Lake" at the Don Williams Recreation Area in Boone County. Those agencies put together the plan to attract people to the Don Williams Lake and Park in an effort to educate the public about it's impact on the quality of life for Boone County residents. Educational participation events have been planned for late morning for the whole family. There's no cost to participate. Activities begin at 9:00 AM.

Airport Commission Opts for 2nd Lowest Bid

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone Municipal Airport Commission has selected the second lowest bid for the second phase of resurfacing the Airport Parking Apron project. The Commission received 5 bids with the lowest two only some $1,400 apart. Because federal grant dollars are being used and require contractors to have a certain amount of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises or minority businesses. The low bidder, CTI Construction from Urbandale had no minority businesses while the next lowest bidder, Absolute Concrete of Slater had 4.6 % minority work, the goal of the Iowa DOT. Absolute was selected for the project with approval by the FAA.

Relay for Life Forecast Looking Warm

BOONE, Iowa---The 2011 Boone County Relay for Life will be held Friday evening at Goeppinger Field in Boone. Right now, it looks like it's going to be a warm evening, breezy and a slight chance of precipitation. Even with the forecast, organizers are still looking forward to getting all the Survivors on the track to kick off the event at 6:00. For those wishing to walk, remember, the big change this year is that walkers will only be walking at the track until midnight. A luminary vigil will be maintained at HyVee in Boone until the closing ceremonies at 7:00 Saturday morning.

Time To Get Water Wells Tested

BOONE, Iowa---Mike Salati, Boone County Sanitarian says now is a good time to get wells tested. Salati says there are a number of water wells still in use in Boone County and it's a good idea to get that well tested on an annual basis. Salati says he has assistance available through an Iowa DNR Grant Program. He says the program covers the cost of testing the well. Additional assistance may be available for repairs or closure, if a property owners wish to pursue those options. Information is available on the Boone County website.

Neighbors Protest

BOONE, Iowa---It was about 4 years ago, residents of rural Boone County, northeast of Boone protested the location of a hog confinment operation. The families were back at the Boone County Courthouse to gain Supervisors support in oppostion to another proposed hog confinment to be located near 160th and U Avenue, northeast of Boone. More than 80 residences are located in the area. The owner of Capstone Finishers is Dr. William Whitley from Alabama. Because of the size, the county has no say in the location, everything is handled by the Iowa DNR.

Pawlenty Campaigns in Boone

BOONE, Iowa---Republican Presidential hopeful, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty did make a campaign stop in Boone on Memorial Day. Pawlenty did meet with a packed room of interested citizens, talking about the federal deficit, jobs and more. Pawlenty said he looks forward to continue bringing his message to Iowas and doing well in the Republican Straw Poll that will be held in August.

Memorial Day Service Draws Big Crowd

BOONE, Iowa---The annual Boone Memorial Day Ceremony was greeted by warm, windy weather Monday, but did draw a pretty good sized crowd. The event featured Richard Jordan, Boone attorney and World War Two veteran. Boone Boy Scouts provided a reading of General Logan's Orders and wreaths were presented by the American Legion Auxiliary, the VFW Auxiliary and the Daughters of the American Revolution and a new group of young people, the Children of the American Revolution.