Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 30

Meteorologists staying on at KWWL

Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

When news of what Allen Media was planning to do to local weather desks across the nation got out, the reactions were all the same, and all bad. Even though the move had not been announced publicly, the rumble was … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Meteorologists staying on at KWWL
Jan 27

Cedar Rapids’ last Maid-Rite is gone

Posted on Monday, January 27, 2025, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

The Westside Maid-Rite, Cedar Rapids’ oldest restaurant in the same location (1935), closed Jan. 15. I wrote about it on my Substack. It was the feature image in the second new “Flipside” story roundup from the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative that will … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Cedar Rapids’ last Maid-Rite is gone
Jan 23

Noting correction to 2023 news graphic

Posted on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I’m not going to redo my graphic from 2023 about newspaper frequency, but since the information that one line is inaccurate has come to light, I need to acknowledge it. In May 2022, the Ames Tribune announced that at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Noting correction to 2023 news graphic
Jan 20

License Plate Letters — PDS

Posted on Monday, January 20, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The National Weather Service has the rare designation “Particularly Dangerous Situation” for potentially extreme weather. The most recent one issued in Iowa, according to the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, was in a pair of tornado warnings issued for parts of Polk … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous, License Plates | Comments Off on License Plate Letters — PDS
Jan 16

Well, _I_ care

Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Cyclone Fanatic forum thread title: “The 3-point streak ends, but no one seems to care” There’s another piece of college sports I can’t count on anymore, I guess. The end of Iowa State women’s basketball’s 945-game 3-point streak, which started … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on Well, _I_ care
Jan 14

‘Visioning survey’ for southernmost part of US 151

Posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

There’s only about a 25-mile segment of US 151 in Iowa that isn’t four lanes, but that segment has raised concerns about its safety. There are no turn lanes, and sometimes the line of sight isn’t great. One possibility is … Continue reading →

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Jan 09

The year in vibes, as written on my Substack

Posted on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

My year-ender is partially my most-read pieces of 2024 (though not detailed beyond that), partially some election analysis, and partially committing myself to some sort of USA 250th anniversary project. If you need some background on why the vibes were … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on The year in vibes, as written on my Substack
Jan 06

Rundown of TSIP grants for fiscal 2026

Posted on Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

A month ago, the Iowa Transportation Commission approved fiscal year 2026 grants for the Traffic Safety Improvement Program. I worked on a Substack piece that ran the week afterward. The best part was that six days after the press release, … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Rundown of TSIP grants for fiscal 2026
Jan 02

Dear Politico: That is NOT Waterloo, Iowa

Posted on Thursday, January 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

On New Year’s Eve, Politico released a collection of anecdotes from the 2024 campaign trail. It’s called either “What I saw on the fearful road to Trump’s (second) victory” (the title shown in the tab) or “The Ground Is Shifting in … Continue reading →

Posted in Geography | Comments Off on Dear Politico: That is NOT Waterloo, Iowa
Dec 30

License Plate Letters — PCC

Posted on Monday, December 30, 2024, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I better end the year marking where Iowa is in its license plate issuances, but I have the feeling I’m behind. Regardless, this at least shows that Iowa has entered the P’s, after assigning the O series that it did … Continue reading →

Posted in License Plates | Comments Off on License Plate Letters — PCC