It has been an uneventful week

There has not been a lot happening in my world this week, at least not a lot that merits posting on this blog. Some weeks are like this.

The construction of the new elementary school on Melville seems to be going very slowly. Perhaps all the water has slowed them down. They are still in the dirt-moving stage.

There is a new house under construction on the corner of Elm and Franklin. It too has been going very slowly. The hole was dug several weeks ago and they are just completing the crawl space.

The high water in the river has delayed the river float until July 16, the same day as the opening of the fair and a music festival at Fair Oaks Farms. The float in Newton County took place on June 11 and over 20 people participated. Did you know that the Iroquois is considered navigable waters, so has different rules than the ditches of the county, which are not categorized as navigable? A farmer may own both banks and the bottom of the river, but he does not own the river. Hence, you can canoe or boat through his property, but if you stop and get out of your boat to portage around fallen trees, you are trespassing. (One of the groups promoting the river float is Friends of the Iroquois River.)

I noticed that the quickie-lube place behind McDonald's has "opening soon" signs up. What is the story? New management?

A couple weekends ago I crossed I-65 on SR 10 and noticed that what seemed to be a very large gas station was under construction. That should increase the appeal of that exit. I recall when Rensselaer's exit was one of the major exits between Chicago and Indianapolis. It has stagnated while others have developed. Is that because it was first, and now the structures are showing their age? (The abandoned Grandma's Restaurant looks horrible.) Or is it because the sewer and water hook-ups limit what can be done there? Or is there truth to rumors that at least one of the businesses located out there has blocked development that might be competitive?