Monthly Archives: December 2016

Dec 15

IA 100 extension opens today

December 3, 2016: Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett (second from left) and other dignitaries have a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the first phase of the IA 100 extension. The extension of IA 100 from Edgewood Road to Covington Road opens to … Continue reading

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Dec 14

The Final Countdown: 5. Varina

October 3, 2016: No big stone lions guarding this library. As I crossed IA 4 on US 20, I saw long green tubes on freshly churned dirt in the middle of a cornfield, and I realized I was entering Bakken … Continue reading

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Dec 13

The Final Countdown: 6. Duncombe

October 11, 2002: Mile marker 11 on IA 928 near the Highview elevator in Hamilton County shows a countdown to Fort Dodge, even though the Webster County segment was turned over almost right away. On old 20, you can be … Continue reading

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Dec 10

Ship your enemies lutefisk

OK, that’s probably not what this purveyor of Scandinavian delicacies in Oakland NE intends, but after reading the story, isn’t that something certain people would think about? Would this be something for Decorah (the Norwegian capital of Iowa) or Stanton (the Swedish … Continue reading

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Dec 09

Visits to new Iowa cities in 2016

September 26, 2016: In March 2010, the Volga post office was “temporarily closed”. Now, there are these cluster boxes outside, which often signal the town’s post office is gone for good, but the letters are still on the building clear … Continue reading

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Dec 08

No US 20 winter detour

July 14, 2015: Completion of the four-lane US 20 across Iowa involves detouring the route through Galva. Detoured traffic will take a left while the road ahead will be closed. Photo is at the south end of old IA 328. … Continue reading

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Dec 07

A date which will live in infamy

The Tama County Museum has an open house today for the remembrance of the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. William Kvidera of Tama County was lost on the USS Oklahoma. His body was never recovered. By the … Continue reading

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Dec 06

How many cities are on Iowa highways?

August 4, 2015: After IA 122/old US 18 was turned over, Rudd remained a city “on” the Iowa highway system because the four-lane is still within the city limits. I’ve sporadically mentioned my resolution to visit all 944 existing incorporated … Continue reading

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Dec 02

This is where your school district went, continued

After a bond issue to build a single-site school for the Highland district failed, continued declining enrollment may force Ainsworth Elementary school to be closed, KCRG reports. Meanwhile, Waukee is planning its NINTH elementary school, which is more than Tama … Continue reading

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Dec 01

The most rural stoplight in Iowa, perhaps, for now

September 26, 2016: Around Iowa, this is an unusual sight: A stoplight at the intersection of two county roads with nothing around. It’s at E34 (County Home Road) and W6E (Center Point Road) in Linn County. Traditionally, the state of Iowa … Continue reading

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