Have you noticed the words Izzie Always Busy that have been uncovered over

PopLahr Possibilities on the south row of buildings on The Square? As soon as I saw the words I knew what they meant but I had to call Steve Blackmon to make sure my thinking was correct. Steve Sanders, owner of the building, and his helper,

Garfield, uncovered the words while cleaning last week. The rest of the slogan popular in the 1920s and 1930s, is At The Hub. This was the name and slogan of Izzie Simowitz's business at this location. On July 18, 1934, on the 40th birthday of the late Mr. Jimmy Blackmon, Izzie sold his business to Mr. Jimmy. There was one provision to the sale. Izzie insisted that Miss Belle Tyler, who had faithfully worked in his store for many years, would have a lifetime job in Mr. Jimmy's store, which became the popular Blackmons' Department Store. Miss Belle worked in the store until her death.

Jimbo Blackmon, grandson of Mr. Jimmy, has the old safe from Izzie's; and Steve Blackmon¸ Mr. Jimmy's son, has the desk. Steve also has the "lifter" that was used to reach to the top shelf where the men's hats were kept and could be lifted down. Izzie gave away scissors with The Hub and his name on them and Miss Belle wanted a pair put in her casket when she died.

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On the corner next to Izzie's was -- what else -- a 10-cent store! It was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Howard Prather and Mr. Prather also owned a drug store on the "drug store corner" which now houses Verizon Wireless. Mrs. Prather managed the ten-cent-store and they lived in a big two-story frame house off Highway 78 in the vicinity of the Washington- Wilkes Animal Shelter. At that time, the house was "in the country."

. Monday evening's thunderstorm brought some much-needed rain. My usual rainkeepers are not in agreement on the amount because apparently it varied according to where you were. Most agree that it was an inch, maybe a little more. . . . Carol Cartledge was on her way home from Athens during the height of the storm and says that the rain and hail around Rayle was so much that she couldn't see the white line on the highway and had to pull over. Others report it as a "gully-washer" which we have not seen in a long time. Whatever it was, I enjoyed it and am grateful for it.

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Weight-loser Scott Lewis has reached his goal of weighing 182 pounds. Scott says that when he began his weight loss he weighed 346 pounds and his body mass was 46.6. Now at a slim 182 pounds, his body mass is 24.6. He still walks every day and stays in good shape. His comment to me was, "It can be done. We can reverse our weight." . . . I read in the paper about a man who was down to 840 pounds from more than 1,000 pounds. How can that be? How can somebody do that to themselves?

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Irvin and Carol Cheney are off on what Irvin says is their "last BIG RV trip." They left May 16 on a trip which will include Yosemite, the Redwood National Forest, Glacier National Park, and Banff National Park. They will return home September 1. The tags on the traveling vehicles expire before the Cheneys return and Irvin feared that he would be driving with expired license plates for the last few weeks of the trip. The state of Georgia will not permit renewals to be issued until 90 days before one's birthday, so they could not be issued before the Cheneys left. Irvin went to see Tax Commissioner Mary Hubbard and of course she had a solution. When the date arrived that the renewals could be issued, Irvin called Mary from Arizona; she told him how much he owed; and Irvin sent her a check. She mailed the renewals to Irvin in care of his sister-in-law in Oregon, whom they will visit next week. Irvin says, "Where else but in Washington could you get service like that?"

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If you are a regular reader of this column, you will have read about

Chan and Phyllis Drake's love for old cars and their restoration -- especially classic Chevys, of which they have three. This year is the anniversary of the famous 1957 Classic Chevy. Chan and Phyllis plan to be in Detroit in August for the big celebration at the Chevy plant. . . . From there they are planning a 1700-mile-trip to Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah where the "fastest cars in the world" will be racing on salt!

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And that reminds me. Be sure to call, e-mail, or write and let me know interesting things you are doing during the summer.

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Wilkes Countian Clarence Watts placed second in the Tractor Mower Division at the State Equipment Roadeo sponsored by the Georgia Department of Transportation in Perry. Clarence is an assistant foreman for the Oglethorpe County Routine Maintenance Crew and has been with the Georgia DOT for eight years.

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In order to help raise the $3,000 needed to pay for the Fourth of July Celebration and Fireworks on The Square, the Chamber of Commerce will have the "Celebrity Baggers" at Bi-Lo. If you can be a bagger on Saturday, June 30, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., call Ashley Barnett at the Chamber of Commerce -- 706-678-2013.

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It worked so well last year that we are trying it again this year. The News-Reporter will be closed the week of July 2-6 for the Fourth of July holiday. We will be printing two papers in one week, so we will need your help in getting your news and advertisements to us at an earlier time. The paper which will be dated July 5 will be printed on Friday, June 29. Foreclosure legal advertisements should be submitted by Thursday, June 21. Deadline for all other legal advertisements, classified advertise- ments, and society news should be in our officeby 5 p.m., Wednesday, June 27. All other news and retail advertising should be in by Thursday, June 28, at 12 noon. News from Community Correspondents should be in as early as possible on Thursday.

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Be sure to take a look at the Bee Southern advertisement in this week's paper. It's reminiscent of the old W. Frank Lee store and half-price sale advertisements of the early 1980s.