Author Archives: Jeff

Nov 15

Iowa football playing 100th game in Illinois

July 15, 2008: Dedication plaque at one of the many Memorial Stadiums of the Midwest. The stadium was undergoing a massive expansion at the time of this photo. Unfortunately, not even Lovie Smith’s beard has enough magic to make the … Continue reading

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Nov 14

Youngville overpass work continuing

Rather than write out “US 30/US 218 interchange” when I discuss the new exit being built in Benton County, I think I’ll invoke a throwback to the area’s auto history. That history is being preserved and amplified in the construction: … Continue reading

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Nov 13

Fleet Farm Fleet

Blain’s Farm & Fleet was one of the first retail developments at the corner of IA 58 and Viking Road, opening in 1999. Beside it sprung up a Wal-Mart. Then, about a decade or so ago, the retail boom there … Continue reading

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Nov 12

Goldfield Cheese Mart is 50 years old

Enough cheese for every man, woman, and child in town. Probably.

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Nov 11

Armistice Day, 100 years on

March 10, 2011: Mural at Memory Hall, Liberty Memorial, Kansas City — a highly recommended visit. It’s the 100th anniversary of the end of the War to End All Wars, that didn’t end all wars. The peace that followed would not … Continue reading

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Nov 09

Iowa State-Baylor preview

Iowa State’s being ranked in the CFP but not the AP last week, and now with three different rank numbers in the polls, serves to obscure what’s otherwise a simple listing of ISU’s games as a ranked football team. But … Continue reading

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Nov 08

50-50, plus one, for 2020

While there will be many women voting the democratic ticket, there is no question that that in the northern states the republican party will be largely the gainer and if there was any hope of the sporting candidate, “Wet Jim”, … Continue reading

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Nov 07

Why the US 30-US 151 trumpet is backwards

In the southeast corner of the Cedar Rapids metro area, the US 30 expressway comes to an end (for another year, anyway) while US 151 heads north. This is not the original routing for 151; it was rerouted away from … Continue reading

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Nov 06

A thought for any election

In light of the last time we went through this, a thought: As an Iowa State fan, I have seen defeat snatched from the jaws of victory in more ways than I care to think about. The game is never … Continue reading

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Nov 05

I-80 has a new max lane count in Iowa

The Iowa DOT reports that I-80 is open to five eastbound lanes on the Missouri River bridge. (The press release said Oct. 26, weather permitting; the weather did not permit, and a tweet moved it to the night of Oct. 28-29.) That was … Continue reading

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