Author Archives: Jeff

Sep 12

Orlando columnist still really, really hates Iowa State

Posted on Thursday, September 12, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

During Conferencepocalypse, Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi questioned the justification of multiple non-blue-blood teams, including Iowa State, in major-college football. Well, more than questioned. He railed to anyone who would listen (and those of us in existential angst) that teams … Continue reading →

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Sep 11

Iowans really, really hate the current license plate

Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

A couple of days after I was seeing “blackout” style license plates showing up in regular alphanumeric sequence, WHO had a story about expansion of the program. The blackout plates rolled out on July 1st, and Lowe said just a … Continue reading →

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Sep 10

100 years of St. Joseph’s Fall Festival

Posted on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Last week was St. Joseph Catholic Church in Chelsea’s 100th annual fall festival with chicken and ham dinner. The Homegrown Iowan website has a writeup about the event, held the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. I don’t think we went … Continue reading →

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Sep 09

Against all odds, GameDay coming to Iowa State

Posted on Monday, September 9, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This started as a very different blog post. In all the early speculation about “College GameDay could come to Ames!” — see here, and here, and here — I was certain that there was no way it could possibly happen. I was wrong. It … Continue reading →

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Sep 06

Get ready for lots and lots of Rutgers

Posted on Friday, September 6, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The untold millions (it is millions, right?) of Rutgers football fans will be turning their eyes toward Iowa City soon. For the second time in Big Ten Conference history, and the first time in Kinnick Stadium, the Hawkeyes will play … Continue reading →

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Sep 05

A Lincoln Highway marker caretaker passes on

Posted on Thursday, September 5, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

August 24, 2013: A Lincoln Highway marker on Johnson Avenue NW in Cedar Rapids. US 30 used Johnson on its first alignment. In an ode to a 102-year-old “Queen of Johnson Avenue” in Sunday’s Gazette, the writer mentioned this nugget: Dorothy … Continue reading →

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Sep 04

North Tama continues college football tour

Posted on Wednesday, September 4, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

On Friday, North Tama will be playing in its fourth college stadium this decade. The first, of course, and the one everyone’s always trying to get back to, is the UNI-Dome. The second was Wartburg College in Waverly in 2013. … Continue reading →

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Sep 03

Watching an Iowa legend ply his craft

Posted on Tuesday, September 3, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

August 16, 2019: Bob Dorr (left) performs “Elvis in Paraguay” with three Elvis impersonators who crashed the concert at the MidAmerican Energy Stage at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. My Iowa State Fair day(s) have typically ended with hypnotist Ron Diamond (except … Continue reading →

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Aug 30

A weekend to root for the Redhawks

Posted on Friday, August 30, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Football? Football! It’s Week 1 for high school and college football seasons. North Tama (preview here) is expected to do well this year. This time, the team had a full offseason with one coach; Mr. McDermott unretired in 2018 when … Continue reading →

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Aug 29

New Mississippi River bridge in Louisiana (no not that Louisiana)

Posted on Thursday, August 29, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 12, 2016: The now-former US 54 bridge across the Mississippi River, whose replacement was built right beside it. My string of unbroken Mississippi River crossings was clipped on Aug. 3 when a replacement for the US 54 Champ Clark Bridge … Continue reading →

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