Around Town

By:  Ernie Wren

As my wife Danna and I were driving around town this past weekend, I became a bit nostalgic regarding the changes that are going on today that would not have been made possible without the vision of those who have served our community in the past. We drove out to the airport area to look at the Amazon distribution center and the developments going on at the Cartwright Technology Park. The operations are in full swing with plenty of Amazon vehicles coming and going, along with other outside traffic. The area has some great landscaping, and I hope to get a chance to fish that small lake when temperatures cool down!

On the other side of the highway is Lakeside Ashland, the brainchild of Nic Parks which should bring some great entertainment opportunities to the area come September. All of these new places did not happen to be within the Ashland city limits by accident. Former Alderman George Campbell, who passed away back in 2017, was the driving force behind convincing landowners and the city leadership to annex the strip along Highway 63 out to the airport. There were plenty of nay-sayers at the time, but George was committed to the idea that by the city of Ashland controlling this land, it would provide a buffer between our town and Columbia.  There would also be further development of future businesses anchored by the airport. His obituary stated, “George was always interested in the betterment of the community, and its progress.” Today we are beginning to reap the benefits from that vision.

See more in this weeks Boone County Journal