Author Archives: Jeff

Sep 10

A display of remembrance

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

“It should never be forgotten”: Traer family puts 2,997 flags in front yard in honor of 9/11 victims (KWWL)

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Sep 08

Mocking Iowa’s 2020s congressional districts (8)

Posted on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Mock 20: Corridor compaction District 1: Democrat Liz Mathis has a clear-the-field list of endorsements for whatever district includes Cedar Rapids. Christina Bohannan — who primaried a long-time representative in Iowa’s most Democratic state House district — has received former … Continue reading →

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Sep 06

Mocking Iowa’s 2020s congressional districts (7)

Posted on Monday, September 6, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Mock 15: Checking Wasserman The great thing about Iowa’s congressional districts is that anyone can play. I did some looking at what the “professionals” were playing with. I made Mock 15 based on this tweet from Dave Wasserman of the Cook … Continue reading →

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Sep 03

No pressure

Posted on Friday, September 3, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

(Through September 1, 2021. Updates will be marked as needed for the 2021 season.) 39,824: Days between November 23, 1912, when Iowa State won a share of the 1912 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association football championship, and December 4, 2021, … Continue reading →

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Sep 01

School timeline mega-update: 1971-74

Posted on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The timeline is now going so far back I’ve found buildings I didn’t know existed, in map dots that either aren’t on the state map now or were never there. Allerton’s school got condemned by the state fire marshal (Centerville … Continue reading →

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Aug 30

School timeline mega-update: 1975-79

Posted on Monday, August 30, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 17, 2020: “The $125,000 new school building at Lake Center is complete and will be opened next Monday to serve the oldest consolidated school district in Iowa. The new school house is two stories and basement, entirely fireproof and … Continue reading →

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Aug 27

School timeline mega-update: 1980-84

Posted on Friday, August 27, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Plus some auxiliary before-and-afters. Oakville’s school closed in 1980 (Wapello Republican, 4/20/95, via IAGenWeb) Rodman’s school closed in 1980 (West Bend Gazette, 12/13/79) Bedford Elementary, which I think was the original high school, had a bat infestation in 1980 (Clarinda … Continue reading →

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Aug 25

School timeline mega-update: 1985-89

Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I am breaking things up into five-year spans, which tells you how much information I’ve found, and how many schools were closing in the 1980s. Doon’s school closed in 1985 (Lyon County Reporter, 6/26/85) The closure was a two-year-long issue … Continue reading →

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Aug 23

School timeline mega-update: 1990s

Posted on Monday, August 23, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

June 22, 2014: The Wayne school district’s midyear closure of the school in unincorporated Cambria in December 1995 is a crucial link in a discovery I explained weeks ago: It contributed to a streak of closures that predated the modern … Continue reading →

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Aug 20

School timeline mega-update: 21st century

Posted on Friday, August 20, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

June 24, 2017: The rear addition of the Arthur school building is close to the original’s style except for the color of the bricks. Starting off with a bullet from earlier so the next one makes sense, and admitting a … Continue reading →

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