Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 21

I-80 Iowa County rest area expansion plan

Posted on Friday, January 21, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Iowa DOT’s plan to expand parking at the I-80 eastbound rest area between the Victor and Ladora exits is available online. Construction is planned for late next year. KCCI reported that a rebuilt westbound rest area opened just before Christmas, … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on I-80 Iowa County rest area expansion plan
Jan 19

An I-380 sign overlay that never got placed

Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

On southbound I-380 in Cedar Rapids, at the 27th Avenue SW overpass, there’s an overhead sign with the distance for the next, and last, city exit: 33rd Avenue SW. The bracket is designed to hold a sign with two lines … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on An I-380 sign overlay that never got placed
Jan 17

South Tama bond issue vote March 1

Posted on Monday, January 17, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

There will be a vote on a $26.8 million middle school bond referendum in South Tama on March 1, reports the Tama-Toledo News-Chronicle. The proposal the school board decided on was renovations at the Iowa Juvenile Home site. If the … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on South Tama bond issue vote March 1
Jan 14

Old schools in Miles, Preston gone

Posted on Friday, January 14, 2022, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

June 14, 2011: The 192X Preston school — exact year unknown because the cornerstone is cut off by the 1950 building to its right — and the capstone for Miles school. The Easton Valley school district, the easternmost in Iowa, … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on Old schools in Miles, Preston gone
Jan 12

Waverly-Janesville road will be upgraded

Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The 1914 map above shows the Red Ball Route north of Janesville shifting to the section line, once the railroad gets out of the way, in the southwest corner of Section 23. This kink, approximately 1/8 mile, was turned into … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Waverly-Janesville road will be upgraded
Jan 10

Will we get 9% more content too?

Posted on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

NBC Sports Network is dead, ESPN Classic is dead, and the sports cable bill is going up. Makes total sense. The wholesale cost of television channels is Mediacom’s largest expense and in the past year, rates from the national networks, broadcast … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Will we get 9% more content too?
Jan 07

Where to see 2021 fall tournament brackets

Posted on Friday, January 7, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I didn’t do reverse-engineered brackets for the 2021 Iowa high school football playoffs this year, for a variety of reasons. However, they exist elsewhere on the Internet. MaxPreps has brackets and scores in all six classes (now that football has … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on Where to see 2021 fall tournament brackets
Jan 05

A missed tourism opportunity

Posted on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Council: Can’t build pig in Marengo city square (Cedar Rapids Gazette, January 4, 1966) MARENGO — Marengo isn’t going to have a pig in the city square park. In unanimous action, the city council Monday night favored construction of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A missed tourism opportunity
Jan 03

Street View has visited Tama County

Posted on Monday, January 3, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Far too many times I have looked at images on Google Maps Street View and wished that, instead of covering the same roads multiple times, the vehicles would go out and capture either the roads that are only in low … Continue reading →

Posted in Tama County | Comments Off on Street View has visited Tama County
Dec 31

My photo for the year: 2021

Posted on Friday, December 31, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

August 25, 2021 In Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell has a small building dedicated to it across the street from Independence Hall. Through at least June 2019, visitors were able to walk all the way around the bell, but now you can’t. … Continue reading →

Posted in Trip Reports | Comments Off on My photo for the year: 2021