Author Archives: Jeff

May 28

Not serendipity, just stereotypical

While radio channel-surfing Memorial Day night, one of the first songs I heard on three different stations in half an hour — KOEL 98.5, KXIA 101.1, and WMT-FM KKSY 96.5 — was Jason Aldean’s “Flyover States.” I think this means … Continue reading

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May 28

Rand McNally and historic routes

Rand McNally has been suffering from a form of “Christmas creep” over the past decade. Before a trip to Washington DC in August 2009, I already had the 2010 atlas. Now, before the summer of 2012 has officially started, the … Continue reading

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May 27

The undesirables

Pat Forde takes another jab at Ames, this time in the form of a “letter” from West Virginia’s president. I know many of you fans enjoyed the proximity of the Backyard Brawl relationship with Pitt and the manageable drives to … Continue reading

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May 26

Sioux City Journal on ISU women’s sports

Specifically, basketball and volleyball. (That ISU volleyball would be discussed positively is a huge turnaround from a decade ago.)

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May 25

Death to one-way streets!

That is all.

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May 23

IA 86 construction update

Because IA 86 north of IA 9 wasn’t state-maintained until 1980, it has a lot of characteristics of a county road, including a lack of shoulders. The road was taken by the state as its importance as a connector to … Continue reading

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May 23

US 20 in the five-year plan

Real, tangible evidence of progress (2011 USDA aerials via Iowa Ortho Server) Decades in the planning, it’s almost here — parts of it anyway. The final relocation of US 20 (but not the final four-lane paving) is on schedule. The … Continue reading

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May 22

North Tama girls stay in Class 1-A

The North Tama school district is tied for fifth-highest enrollment in grades 9-11 in the new class structure laid out by the IGHSAU effective with softball season. This is a good thing, because it means less competition against larger schools. … Continue reading

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May 21

Conferencepocalypse III: Geography note

While the Pac-10 was ready to swallow the Big 12 South minus Baylor plus Colorado, it was as far “west” as its expansion targets allowed. Even then, when the state of Arizona was in Pacific Time, there would have only … Continue reading

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May 20

Officially old

Today the North Tama Class of 2012 graduates. They were kindergartners when I was a senior, so they were the last students I shared the school with. The Class of 2019, just finishing fifth grade, was born after I graduated. … Continue reading

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