Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 08

20th anniversary of Iowa Highways Page

The Iowa Highways Page is 20 years old today. I stumbled on it about two years after Jason Hancock set it up. Since then, he and I have done lots of coordination and research to make our sites complementary and … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on 20th anniversary of Iowa Highways Page
Jan 05

Correction on the (perceived) misalignment of IA 395

On state maps starting with the 1976 redesign, it looks like IA 395 runs as an east-west route. Because it was turned over in 1983, there was no readily available information on whether that was the case. Now, with more … Continue reading

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Correction on the (perceived) misalignment of IA 395
Jan 04

Original Riverside (Oakland) school complex sold

After a delayed opening of an all-new Riverside school complex on the outskirts of Oakland (the south US 6/59 junction), the property in the city was left empty. At the end of December, the Council Bluffs Nonpareil reported that the school … Continue reading

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on Original Riverside (Oakland) school complex sold
Jan 03

Population projection: Utah has babies and Iowa doesn’t

September 28, 2015: Clayton, Iowa, along the Mississippi River, has no children living in city limits, according to census numbers — adding the atmosphere of a micro-version of “Children of Men” to this photo of a playground there. Buck Grove, near … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Population projection: Utah has babies and Iowa doesn’t
Jan 02

Waterville Elementary to be closed

The Allamakee district voted unanimously to close Waterville Elementary at its board meeting in December, reports the Waukon Standard. A crowd at the meeting hoping to save the school left in sadness. As soon as the notice of “consideration” was … Continue reading

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on Waterville Elementary to be closed
Jan 01

The Cold Civil War

The year in light reading (except the bottom, still to be read). I wrote something. It ran in the Gazette on New Year’s Eve. In a sense, it’s the seedier side to my year of travel. Reading about the gulfs … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on The Cold Civil War
Dec 31

Three days, five candidates, five counties, ten years later – 3

December 31, 2007: Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) and his mother make a campaign stop at the Ames Public Library (Story County). Catherine Biden died three years later. New Year’s Eve 2007 — four days before the caucuses — was just as full … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Three days, five candidates, five counties, ten years later – 3
Dec 30

Three days, five candidates, five counties, ten years later – 2

December 30, 2007: Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Tom Vilsack at the Traer Memorial Building. It’s weird to attend a political event when people you know are in the audience. After Christmas, Hillary Clinton was in a flat-out sprint toward Jan. … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Three days, five candidates, five counties, ten years later – 2
Dec 29

Three days, five candidates, five counties, ten years later – 1

It is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Three days, five candidates, five counties, ten years later – 1
Dec 28

12 months, 29 states

When I started my Big South Trip October 18, 2016, I didn’t have plans in mind beyond that. The following 12 months — to the day — would have me hitting the road far beyond Iowa multiple times. By the … Continue reading

Posted in Trip Reports | Comments Off on 12 months, 29 states