Author Archives: Jeff

Oct 31

Completing my circumnavigation (in 2015)

Posted on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I almost, but not quite, published a recap of Day 8 of my circumnavigation of Iowa on the day of the 10th anniversary (!) of it happening. It’s still to the month, though.

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Oct 29

1A volleyball regional finals: public vs. private

Posted on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Tonight 16 teams complete for eight places in the Class 1A state volleyball tournament. Like is so often the case as we reach this level, we have a bunch of public-private matchups. Most important for this blog is North Tama … Continue reading →

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Oct 28

GR puts out video before bond vote

Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

The Gladbrook-Reinbeck school district has a video (linked here, attempt at embed below but YouTube doesn’t like that anymore) with a virtual tour of the addition that would be constructed if a bond referendum passes next week. The district has … Continue reading →

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Oct 23

A mini-war reenactment

Posted on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I went to Clark’s Park a month ago to write about a Civil War reenactment event. The sides were lopsided. The story was reprinted in the North Tama Telegraph and Sun Courier, but their formatting missed out on my intention … Continue reading →

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Oct 21

Last trips on old Black Hawk Bridge

Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

KCRG led off Sunday night’s newscast (autoplay video) with a story about the closure of the Black Hawk Bridge between Lansing and De Soto, Wisconsin. The free car ferry to take its place while construction continues on its replacement won’t … Continue reading →

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Oct 17

License Plate Letters — ZIC

Posted on Friday, October 17, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Wait a second, you’re saying. We’re into the Q’s of a new cycle. What’s the deal? Well, the deal is, I saw a vehicle with a ZIC license plate at the airport when I was there Tuesday to play music … Continue reading →

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Oct 14

‘Waterloo United High School’

Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

When Waterloo East and Waterloo West merge into a new campus in 2028, that school will be called Waterloo United High School. KWWL covered the introduction of the new nickname, wordmark, logo, and colors last Wednesday. I hate the word … Continue reading →

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Oct 09

Black Hawk Bridge will close Oct. 20

Posted on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Black Hawk Bridge at Lansing, a Driftless Area landmark for nearly a century, will close forever at 7 AM on Oct. 20. Stories: Des Moines Register, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, KCRG (short clip), Iowa DOT press release. The original goal … Continue reading →

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Oct 07

MoDOT proposes US 63 bypass south of US 50

Posted on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

After US 63 crosses I-70 in Missouri, the contours of the countryside change significantly. Northern Missouri has hills, but in southern Missouri, well, the shortest distance between two points is secondary to the HILLS. On Aug. 21, the Missouri DOT … Continue reading →

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Oct 02

When Saturday morning was great

Posted on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I think the loss of Looney Tunes in the Saturday morning lineup 25 years ago (!) was the beginning of the end of Americans’ shared culture.

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