Author Archives: Jeff

Dec 29

I see you, KYOU; and other TV station notes

Back in June, I uploaded new TV station maps and county-by-county listings. One of the prompts for making the update was finding out that KYOU, the Fox station in Ottumwa and the only standalone Fox station in Iowa, had added … Continue reading

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Dec 25

Traer UMC Christmas Eve Service

I have missed Christmas Eve services for work but the service was always there. This year, due to rules set at the state level, Traer UMC did not have a Christmas Eve service, but it was recorded and placed online.

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Dec 24

KOEL back to 92.3

KKCV-FM, 98.5 “The Hog,” was a new country music station in the Waterloo area in the 1990s. Throughout my school years, that was my most frequently listened-to station. I even spent a job-shadow day there learning about the radio programming. … Continue reading

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Dec 22

Key ramp at I-80/380 opens this week

March 12, 2007: Eastbound I-80 at I-380. I probably have a better picture of this, but archive searching isn’t what it used to be for me. The most important inner loop ramp of the I-80/380 cloverleaf interchange is being replaced with … Continue reading

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Dec 21

I was wrong

December 31, 2009: Insight Bowl, Tempe AZ. Iowa State beat Minnesota 14-13. I thought it could be the start of good years for ISU football; instead, it kind of was a high-water mark of the Rhoads era. It’s hard to … Continue reading

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Dec 18

One time

From the (at least) second-greatest and most underrated football movie ever. (FYI: This will be ISU’s fourth game between Dec. 7 and Dec. 26, inclusive. The other three were bowls in the 1970s: two on the 18th and one on … Continue reading

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Dec 16

Son of the Revenge of the Crimson Monkey

From this blog post in 2018, emphasis added: The Cyclones upend the world order with a 38-31 win en route to their second-best season in my lifetime, becoming the only team in the nation to beat Oklahoma in the 2017 regular season, … Continue reading

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Dec 14

Alice Zimple, 1934-2020

Alice Zimple of Traer died Friday. She is the fourth person Traer United Methodist Church has lost this year, including one to COVID-19. Her obituary is here. Alice was the heart of Traer UMC’s kitchen, no matter what the event. … Continue reading

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Dec 11

When ‘Tama Jim’ honored Ulysses S. Grant (2)

Spring 1885 was approaching, and Iowa’s 5th Congressional District election of 1882 was still in dispute. Republican James Wilson had been declared the winner, but Democrat Benjamin Frederick was still fighting for it, and won the seat outright in November … Continue reading

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Dec 09

‘Tama Jim’ and his second stint in Congress (1)

This is what Iowa’s 11(!) congressional districts looked like for the elections of 1882 and 1884. The 5th District is in orange. A mid-decade redraw after a special census in 1885 created a new map that would be used through … Continue reading

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