Author Archives: Jeff

Apr 10

Dr. Boerm, DVM, and Dr. Boerm, DDS

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

The original Star-Clipper building in downtown Traer, where the Winding Stairs landmark is located, has housed the North Tama Veterinary Clinic for decades. Kurt Boerm (“Doc Boerm”) has been the area’s veterinarian for nearly 25 years. The practice now includes … Continue reading →

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Apr 09

Iowa’s oldest active school sticking around

Posted on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The 1848 building at the core of Bellevue Elementary will remain in use at least a little while longer after a bond issue vote last week. A majority of voters opposed a referendum to replace the school, the Bellevue Herald-Leader … Continue reading →

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Apr 08

Slater ice cream shop lost in fire

Posted on Monday, April 8, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

May 31, 2017: Cole’s in Slater sold more than ice cream. (Yup, I happened to have a photo.) Cole’s ice cream shop, a little eating place in Slater at the corner of IA 210 and R38, burned down this weekend. … Continue reading →

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Apr 05

Analysis of 2019 RAGBRAI route

Posted on Friday, April 5, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Perhaps the strangest thing about this year’s RAGBRAI route map release, now that the day-by-day trickle is an established thing, is that the Register‘s website didn’t really say anything about it. On that Sunday morning, there was nothing except the … Continue reading →

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Apr 04

First paved section of US 71 to be put under

Posted on Thursday, April 4, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

September 29, 2015: A flavor of what the un-widened old US 71 looks like north of Fostoria. Among the construction projects in the Iowa DOT’s January letting was a secondary road project in Dickinson County. It came through Ames on … Continue reading →

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Apr 03

Highways will have to be rebuilt after flooding

Posted on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This blog hasn’t done any coverage of the severe flooding in western Iowa, partially because it was ongoing, partially because I had other posts planned. But it’s clear that the highways over there are going to be a mess for … Continue reading →

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Apr 02

The Not Daily Times Herald

Posted on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

As of this week, Iowa has one fewer daily newspaper. The paper that from World War II until now was known as the Daily Times Herald is becoming the Carroll Times-Herald, with publication on Tuesdays and Fridays. The announcement also … Continue reading →

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Apr 01

The wreck of a week that was

Posted on Monday, April 1, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Iowa State women lost, at home, to an 11-seed, making me 0-for-2 in personal attendance this season… …while the Iowa women made the Elite Eight — to face the big bad of the Big 12. (And the Iowa men … Continue reading →

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Mar 30

An unfortunate closing in the nick of time

Posted on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In 1978, as enrollment in the South Page school district was falling*, the district closed its attendance centers in both Braddyville and Coin. It was a far cry from the optimism of just over a decade earlier, when voters approved … Continue reading →

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Mar 28

See the Apollo 11 documentary, if it’s not too late

Posted on Thursday, March 28, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Do you like history? Do you like space? Do you like watching great Americans do great things? Do you like watching ordinary Americans do great things? Do you want to see a nation that believes in itself pushing the boundaries … Continue reading →

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