Category Archives: Iowa Miscellaneous

For years now, a hypnotist has performed on the Riley Stage in the evenings during the full week of the Iowa State Fair. I typically try to catch a show, because it is good clean fun. I don’t have any … Continue reading →

A man, his wife, and their two children were all injured after he fell asleep while driving and crashed into another car in rural Fort Madison, Iowa shortly before 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 21st. https://t.co/zCZQ7ZatTT — WQAD (@wqad) June … Continue reading →

Fourth in a series. In my previous posts regarding population, I cited the master’s thesis “Annexation in Iowa: an analysis of the Iowa annexation statutes” by Robin Renae Habeger (1997). That, along with some digging into more recent news, brings something to light: … Continue reading →

Third in a series. The dam broke just after the 1990 census. West Des Moines had a small spot in Dallas County right before that — a portion tucked south of University Avenue that included the Des Moines Golf and … Continue reading →

Second in a series. On a national level, the 1980s had plenty of positives after a bumpy early start. In Iowa, though, like the rest of the Farm Belt, those bumpy years were part of a precipitous fall that, arguably, … Continue reading →

First in a series. The Census Bureau released its 2017 county-level population estimates in April. It’s not a full decade, but it is seven data points, and the trend for rural counties may be even worse than it was. The … Continue reading →

If you believe articles from an industry publication, the fast-casual Italian food franchise Fazoli’s is in good shape and plans to release “a completely clean food menu” this summer. (Because chemicals are bad, you see, and unpopular with the youths.) … Continue reading →

April 23, 2018: If you want to assemble a clothing collection, now’s the time; Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids is having dueling down-to-the-walls sell-offs at Younkers and Sears. The upbeat tone of the “closing forever” radio ads is a little … Continue reading →

The public notice page of the July 15, 1993, Osceola Sentinel Tribune started off with the minutes of the Clarke County Board of Supervisors’ June 30 meeting. Between a seasonal-employee hire and rejecting bids on care of the courthouse lawn … Continue reading →

In a deep review of the online legal descriptions of Iowa highways, I’ve noticed some quirks in the conventions. A road will often connect or start at/with “an unnamed street”, but in each town that street clearly has a name. Older … Continue reading →