Author Archives: Jeff

Aug 18

State Center intersection a trouble spot

Posted on Friday, August 18, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

October 27, 2011: This intersection on US 30, the north end of old IA 234, has had several non-fatal crashes in the past few years, KCCI reports. The now-seeming tradition of trouble with at-grade intersections on roads upgraded to four … Continue reading →

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Aug 16

Lincoln Highway bridge can’t be rehabilitated

Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

See my story about Monday’s Tama City Council meeting on Substack.

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Aug 14

IA 906 decommissioned

Posted on Monday, August 14, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 24, 2019: This oversized US 6 shield was how the DOT initially signed US 6’s reroute onto I-80 on the east end of Council Bluffs. Straight ahead was IA 906, aka Kanesville Boulevard in the city. The Iowa Department … Continue reading →

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Aug 11

Winding Stairs Festival marks Traer’s sesquicentennial

Posted on Friday, August 11, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 9, 2023: Happy birthday! We’re celebrating Traer’s 150th birthday this weekend, although many of the activities were back in June. The schedule is on the WSF committee’s Facebook page. My parents are grand marshals for tomorrow’s parade, which starts … Continue reading →

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Aug 09

At long last, a correction in Traer’s highway history

Posted on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

For years I have tried to reconcile early 20th century maps of the area just east of Traer with the present alignment of IA 8. I knew that at least part of the diagonal heading east from Second Street did … Continue reading →

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Aug 07

‘Tidings from Traer’

Posted on Monday, August 7, 2023, at 3:00 PM by Jeff

August 9, 2008: The north side of Traer’s business block was constructed after a fire in 1894 burned the whole thing down. Toledo Chronicle, August 7, 1873: The town of Traer, the present terminus of the Pacific branch of the … Continue reading →

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Aug 06

The Big 12’s expansion, copy-edited

Posted on Sunday, August 6, 2023, at 6:00 PM by Jeff

An unemployed copy editor is a hungry copy editor. The news story on Cyclone Fanatic about Big 12 expansion provided a buffet. This is done with Adobe Acrobat’s markup tools, although I used the old-school “remove character” mark for visibility. A … Continue reading →

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Aug 04

The Iowa State Fair: An appreciation

Posted on Friday, August 4, 2023, at 1:00 PM by Jeff

My latest Substack column is about something I love. I admit that after going 0-for-3 in job interviews over five weeks, I’m not feeling the last sentence I wrote for it right now. Please subscribe, with money if you feel … Continue reading →

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Aug 02

IKM-Manning trying again on bond issue

Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

For the third time in four years, the IKM-Manning school district is trying to close the building in Irwin by building an addition in Manning. At a meeting in July, the board approved a vote for November, the Carroll Times … Continue reading →

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Jul 31

100th anniversary of Reed-Niland corner in Colo

Posted on Monday, July 31, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 5, 2013: The Colo Motel at the Reed-Niland corner. In 1923, a Colo farmer began a gas station at the east junction of the Lincoln and Jefferson highways. The station, which expanded to include a restaurant and lodging, thrived … Continue reading →

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