Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 15

If cats are outlawed, only outlaws will have cats

Posted on Tuesday, January 15, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

October 20, 2018: I didn’t think I’d get a blog post hook for this fast friend in Washta (who didn’t want to sit for a picture), but … kittykittykittykitty! From a KMA story about a Shenandoah man’s call for cat … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on If cats are outlawed, only outlaws will have cats
Jan 14

The 2019 Iowa House, by gender and area

Posted on Monday, January 14, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

When the new Iowa House convenes today, one party will have a majority of women while a woman from the other party leads the chamber. Let’s look at the map (basemap from Legislative Services Agency, although it was horizontally scaled … Continue reading →

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Jan 11

Havelock has a post office again

Posted on Friday, January 11, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 23, 2009: The apparently-now-former Havelock post office. By August 2013, according to Google Street View, cluster boxes had been placed on the left side of the building. (Hard to believe this picture is nearly a decade old. — Ed.) … Continue reading →

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Jan 10

A lesson on tolerance

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

Heavy headline, light subject. (The struggle is real.) See also the story from the Gazette.

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on A lesson on tolerance
Jan 09

Double diverging diamonds for Linn County

Posted on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The most recent environmental assessment (large PDF) for an expanded I-380 on the north side of Linn County has something new for the state of Iowa: consecutive diverging diamond interchanges. Today, there is only one diverging diamond interchange in the … Continue reading →

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Jan 08

A Transportation Commission meeting with a notable absence

Posted on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Iowa Transportation Commission is having its first meeting of the year today in Ames. The agenda is the most pedestrian possible. (Where’s the transfer of jurisdiction of those weird stubs still under state control?) But off camera, so to … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Transportation Commission meeting with a notable absence
Jan 07

United to extend Ames, Boone sharing

Posted on Monday, January 7, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The 55-mph school speed limit between Ames and Boone is going to stick around a while longer. According to last month’s school board agenda for the United school district, which is between the two cities, the board will approve whole-grade … Continue reading →

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Jan 04

Iowa counties among ‘most representative’

Posted on Friday, January 4, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

A study from Echelon Insights sought to find “typical counties” in the United States and two counties from Iowa rank in the top 20. The Midwest plus Pennsylvania ranked pretty high overall. The link has a map to play with. … Continue reading →

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Jan 03

The slightly strange political career of Leo Elthon

Posted on Thursday, January 3, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

There are three men who served as governor of Iowa for fewer than two months. One of them pinballed between state and local government after sitting in the big chair. According to the U of I’s Biographical Dictionary of Iowa: Leo … Continue reading →

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Jan 02

Elevator part of I-74 bridge plans

Posted on Wednesday, January 2, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

May 7, 2018: An elevator would provide a more direct connection from Bettendorf’s Riverfront Trail (seen at bottom left) to the future I-74 bridge, whose Iowa landing will be just a bit upstream from the current one. The city of … Continue reading →

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