Author Archives: Jeff

Jun 25

A note for summer parade organizers

Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2016, at 10:08 AM by Jeff

PUT THE HORSES LAST.

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Jun 24

Updates to the index page on the blog’s fifth anniversary

Posted on Friday, June 24, 2016, at 10:04 AM by Jeff

May 10, 2005: IA 98 is expected to be turned over to Van Buren County July 1. There’s a front door to this place, although it has less action than the blog page. I haven’t done major work on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Updates to the index page on the blog’s fifth anniversary
Jun 23

The rise of the 400-square-mile high school, part 4

Posted on Thursday, June 23, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

October 3, 2015: Harmony High School, a one-story building at the intersection of J46 and W46, will become the sole building for Harmony this fall, with all elementary students relocating here from Bonaparte. Junior high and high school students will go … Continue reading →

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Jun 22

The rise of the 400-square-mile high school, part 3

Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 25, 2012: The cornerstone of the Boxholm school, last serving as Southeast Webster-Grand Junior High. The Boxholm school is not currently in use. By the summer of 2013, residents of the Corwith-Wesley district knew their high school was a … Continue reading →

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Jun 21

The rise of the 400-square-mile high school, part 2

Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

December 28, 2008: Every window in the Russell school building was boarded up shortly after the district was forcibly dissolved. Students in Russell now go to Chariton, which encompasses about 85% of Lucas County. Lucas County was the home of … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous, Schools | Comments Off on The rise of the 400-square-mile high school, part 2
Jun 20

The rise of the 400-square-mile high school, part 1

Posted on Monday, June 20, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

First in a series on the geography of, and changes to, rural Iowa school districts in the past 55 years, with emphasis on the last 15. For nearly 50 years the number of places in Iowa where one high school … Continue reading →

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Jun 18

Apple gets a little tronc’d

Posted on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

*deep, exasperated sigh* After 15 years as OS X, Apple’s Mac operating system is getting a new name. In the future, it will only answer to macOS, or its latest California-inspired codename, Sierra. The format makes it more consistent with … Continue reading →

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Jun 17

The first step in six-laning I-35 to Ames

Posted on Friday, June 17, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

One of the heavily traveled rural Iowa interstate corridors that needs to be upgraded to six lanes takes a baby step in that direction on Monday. There will be a meeting then in Huxley about I-35 between Ankeny and Ames, … Continue reading →

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Jun 16

Infestation of roundabouts advances in Cedar Falls

Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Ewwww.

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Infestation of roundabouts advances in Cedar Falls
Jun 15

An important meeting for Lincoln Highway history

Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 5, 2013: The Lincoln Highway (now Story County Road E41) passes over US 65 on the east side of Colo. Note the art deco styling of the bridge abutments. The Iowa DOT is considering removing an overpass. It happens … Continue reading →

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