Author Archives: Jeff

Apr 13

Analysis of 2022 RAGBRAI route

The full RAGBRAI XLIX route map was released March 27. It is abundantly clear to me that the map was drawn with assistance from Google Maps, based on the absence of certain county road markers and especially the presence of … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous, Maps | Comments Off on Analysis of 2022 RAGBRAI route
Apr 11

Traer Fire Department hosts grain bin rescue exercise

On Thursday, the Traer Fire Department and other rural fire departments participated in grain bin accident training. The department and local insurance agencies brought in special equipment for showing how to rescue someone trapped in a bin. The story led … Continue reading

Posted in Tama County | Comments Off on Traer Fire Department hosts grain bin rescue exercise
Apr 07

Town of Hepburn to disincorporate

Hepburn, in Page County, the 932nd-largest town* in Iowa in 2020, is discontinuing its official existence. The Clarinda Herald-Journal reports that the process has been underway for months. The county will take over the streets and individuals will have to … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Town of Hepburn to disincorporate
Apr 04

Elkader Keystone Bridge undergoing major rehab

The Keystone Bridge in downtown Elkader is the town’s only bridge across the Turkey River except for the IA 13 bypass. The bridge closes to vehicular traffic today for a rehabilitation project. Work is expected to last until October. The … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Elkader Keystone Bridge undergoing major rehab
Apr 01

Anyone want to buy a bridge (again)?

July 22, 2015: The “Hardin City Bridge” is not in its original location. Marker at top of entrance on the other side says “Western Bridge Works, Fort Wayne, Ind., 1879.” The Chambers Ford Bridge in southeast Tama County was offered … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Anyone want to buy a bridge (again)?
Mar 30

Tama still looking for contract on Lincoln Highway bridge

July 7, 2013: A pickup crosses the Lincoln Highway bridge on the east end of Tama. The concrete letters are more than a century old. The Lincoln Highway bridge in Tama has moved to its third round of bids for … Continue reading

Posted in Construction, Tama County | Comments Off on Tama still looking for contract on Lincoln Highway bridge
Mar 28

Census Bureau: Dallas County cracked 100,000

On April 1, 2020 — but not known for more than 14 months later — Dallas County’s official population was 99,678. It was a temporary snapshot before vaulting a threshold. Last week, the Census Bureau released its 2021 population estimates … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Census Bureau: Dallas County cracked 100,000
Mar 25

Absolutely, totally not a conspiracy

There are three universities with both men’s and women’s teams in the Sweet 16: Michigan, North Carolina, and — for the first time since 2000 — Iowa State. Gazette stories: MBB, MBB notebook, WBB, WBB notebook, column. Only one of … Continue reading

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on Absolutely, totally not a conspiracy
Mar 23

ISU WBB list has bugs or omissions

The cyclones.com website has become notoriously difficult to navigate in the last few years, probably because (like all the other Learfield IMG websites out there) it was “optimized for mobile”. It even works differently in different browsers. One thing added … Continue reading

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on ISU WBB list has bugs or omissions
Mar 21

It’s a great week to be a Cyclone

Every week is a great week to be a Cyclone, but some weeks are better than others. Take this one, which is very, very SWEET. I’m too sick to expound upon that right now, but if you know you know. … Continue reading

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on It’s a great week to be a Cyclone