Author Archives: Jeff

Mar 10

Historical analysis of 2015 RAGBRAI route

July 28, 2004: RAGBRAI converges on Steamboat Rock. The route for RAGBRAI XLIII was released late Saturday, and a video touts visits to eight towns the ride has never been through. Comparing the 2015 route map — available day-by-day in … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous, Maps | Comments Off on Historical analysis of 2015 RAGBRAI route
Mar 09

Traer Theatre reopens

Great news in town. The first movie after the fire next door was “Black or White” last weekend.

Posted in Tama County | Comments Off on Traer Theatre reopens
Mar 08

While we’re on the subject of time

July 15, 2013: Michigan Highway 28 at the westernmost ETZ/CTZ highway crossing in the nation. This line of longitude on the globe is less than 30 miles east of Clinton, Iowa. Have you noticed that for years now, maybe even … Continue reading

Posted in Geography | Comments Off on While we’re on the subject of time
Mar 06

Sioux City Highway Chronology revised, expanded, updated

In the decade since I created the Sioux City Highway Chronology page, the amount of resources available for related research has grown substantially. Those resources include PDFs of year-by-year maps previously available only for study in Ames, construction plans/documents, and … Continue reading

Posted in Maps | Comments Off on Sioux City Highway Chronology revised, expanded, updated
Mar 05

Plans for US 30 in Benton County advance

As reported almost three weeks ago by the Cedar Valley Daily Times, DOT engineers favor an interchange over a J-turn for US 30/218 in Benton County. The ramps in the northwest and southeast corners of the intersection-turned-interchange will preserve both … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Plans for US 30 in Benton County advance
Mar 04

US 30 bypass meeting Thursday night

The long-discussed, still-far-off US 30 bypass of Mount Vernon and Lisbon takes a step forward with a public meeting in Mount Vernon. In a departure from the way most meetings go nowadays, there will be a formal presentation during the … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on US 30 bypass meeting Thursday night
Mar 03

The comeback

Wow. (Someone at CyTV stayed up all night to edit this. Fast work.)

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on The comeback
Mar 03

‘House of Cards’ goes to Iowa

In the way that TV shows about politics go to Iowa, it’s caucusin’ time for Netflix’s “House of Cards”. Check the flags at the 16-18 second mark of the trailer embedded in this story. The show got Oelwein High School’s … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on ‘House of Cards’ goes to Iowa
Mar 02

Private schools make up half of 2A girls’ state basketball field

Four private schools in Class 2A, including defending champion Iowa City Regina, made the 2015 Iowa state girls’ basketball tournament. All but one of those games are today, following Class 1A in the morning and afternoon. (Colo-NESCO tipped off against … Continue reading

Posted in Schools, Sports | Comments Off on Private schools make up half of 2A girls’ state basketball field
Feb 27

Gladbrook Elementary School closing

November 17, 1996: Cropped video frame from Tama County 4H Awards Program. The gym floor was replaced in summer 1997 or summer 1998. Tama County’s fifth-largest town has lost its school. The Gladbrook-Reinbeck school board voted Wednesday night to close … Continue reading

Posted in Schools, Tama County | Comments Off on Gladbrook Elementary School closing