Author Archives: Jeff

Jul 08

2020 Winding Stairs Festival cancelled

Posted on Wednesday, July 8, 2020, at 10:05 AM by Jeff

The obvious and inevitable, again. It didn’t help that North Tama softball forfeited the rest of the season less than 36 hours earlier after “potential indirect exposure” to COVID-19. The Winding Stairs Festival Committee hearts couldn’t be more full due to … Continue reading →

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Jul 06

Requiem for an iMac

Posted on Monday, July 6, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I have in the past rambled about my late 2009 desktop iMac and how I was going to ride it until it died. Well, at 11:53 PM on June 15, it did. Specifically, the hard drive woke from sleep but … Continue reading →

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Jul 03

The Great Interruption

Posted on Friday, July 3, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Traditions are still no match for the plague. The latest victims: Pufferbilly Days in Boone and the Knoxville Nationals. But it’s not just the big stuff. Let’s look just in southern Benton County in the first half of 2018: February … Continue reading →

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Jul 01

Those old-time town shenanigans

Posted on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Have you heard how the Sioux Rapids Boosters slickered the smart guys up at Spencer? Well here is the tale. Sioux Rapids sent a bunch of boosters out in cars to advertise the Fourth of July celebration. Spencer merchants made … Continue reading →

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Jun 29

Some awful wallops

Posted on Monday, June 29, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Langland Lands Powerful Blows (Ames Tri-Weekly Tribune, February 19, 1919) Ole Langland, editor of the Cambridge Leader, takes some awful wallops at Ames people for wanting the Jefferson highway to pass through Ames in place of making the zig-zag through … Continue reading →

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Jun 26

Technical difficulties

Posted on Friday, June 26, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Please stand by?

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Jun 24

Woodbury County to sign Historic US 20

Posted on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Radio Iowa (via KSCJ) reports that Woodbury County will be signing its original US 20 route. This is another step for the Historic Route 20 Association in getting the highway recognized across the country. The only part of original 20 … Continue reading →

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Jun 22

Mixmaster ramps to get codes

Posted on Monday, June 22, 2020, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

In the June letting is a signage project labeled “statewide” but is entirely in Polk County, in two locations: the west and northeast (or east) I-35/80/235 mixmasters. The signs that look like mile markers will say “Ramp” at the top … Continue reading →

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Jun 18

nooooooooooooooo

Posted on Thursday, June 18, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Washington Post: Is this goodbye to make-your-own waffles? Coronavirus may end the hotel breakfast as we know it. Los Angeles Times: At the budget end of the price spectrum, if you’re a regular guest at Hilton’s Hampton Inns, Cordell said, … Continue reading →

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Jun 16

SPORTS

Posted on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Iowa, the only state with the crazy notion of playing summer sports in summer, gets to be the first state with high school sports reactivated this week. Baseball and softball games started statewide yesterday, but North Tama starts this evening, … Continue reading →

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