Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 25

This is supposed to be a flattering piece about Des Moines

Posted on Monday, January 25, 2016, at 10:12 AM by Jeff

Because “it’s not cool unless there’s a graffiti festival” is a New York value. In the late period of caucus season, the coastal media has a habit of rediscovering Iowa in “wow, we found pockets of civilization here” articles and … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on This is supposed to be a flattering piece about Des Moines
Jan 23

ISU’s epic collapses among ‘best games’ of 2015

Posted on Saturday, January 23, 2016, at 11:02 AM by Jeff

From SB Nation: 39. OKLAHOMA STATE 30, TEXAS 27 (SEPT. 26) 38. OKLAHOMA STATE 35, IOWA STATE 31 (NOV. 14) 37. BAYLOR 31, KANSAS STATE 24 (NOV. 5) 36. KANSAS STATE 38, IOWA STATE 35 (NOV. 21) The Big 12 race was Oklahoma’s domain. … Continue reading →

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Jan 22

Iowa DOT now yelling its press releases

Posted on Friday, January 22, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT GETS CONVEYED WHEN YOU DO IT IN ALL-CAPS. (Something happened at the start of the year, not sure what, but now everything on the news page has an all-caps headline.)

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Iowa DOT now yelling its press releases
Jan 21

Lincoln Central was a zombie district for four years

Posted on Thursday, January 21, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Estherville-Lincoln Central, like many other small- to medium-sized school districts in Iowa, is consolidating all of its operations on one campus. In this case, there are separate buildings in one large area, and the newest addition will take the last … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on Lincoln Central was a zombie district for four years
Jan 20

The interesting part of Photo 29,000

Posted on Wednesday, January 20, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

September 30, 2015: The first leg of my trip to Door County included clinching US 63 in Minnesota (again) post-Rochester bypass reroute. I then went to the east end of MN 60 as it crossed the Mississippi River. This was … Continue reading →

Posted in Trip Reports | Comments Off on The interesting part of Photo 29,000
Jan 19

What if we swapped US 6 and 275 in Omaha?

Posted on Tuesday, January 19, 2016, at 10:09 AM by Jeff

By the end of this year, Broadway through Council Bluffs will no longer be part of the Iowa highway system. US 6 will have to be taken off its straight route through the city and moved onto I-29 and I-80. After … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous, Maps | Comments Off on What if we swapped US 6 and 275 in Omaha?
Jan 18

Utah could overtake Iowa in population in 2020

Posted on Monday, January 18, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Speaking of up-and-coming locations zooming past more-established ones, the Census Bureau put out its 2015 state population estimates at the end of the year. Iowa crept upward, but it’s no match for what’s going on in the South and West. … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Utah could overtake Iowa in population in 2020
Jan 15

North Liberty special census blows Newton out of the water

Posted on Friday, January 15, 2016, at 10:14 AM by Jeff

The result of North Liberty’s mid-decade special census is out, and the city’s bigger. Much bigger. It added the population equivalent of Spirit Lake in five years to reach 18,228. Depending on the outcome of a Waukee special census being taken for … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on North Liberty special census blows Newton out of the water
Jan 14

We cannot allow a corn-license-plate gap

Posted on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Nebraska has held much tighter control over specialty license plates than Iowa, but in the past few years that has loosened. Now Nebraskans can have specialty plates for Creighton University, the state’s sesquicentennial (2017), and members of the military. But … Continue reading →

Posted in License Plates | Comments Off on We cannot allow a corn-license-plate gap
Jan 13

Falling behind Futility U

Posted on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

When Bill Snyder started his first year as Kansas State’s football coach, three months before Taylor Swift was born, the Wildcats trailed in their series with Iowa State by 20 games. The Iowa State program as a whole had about … Continue reading →

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