Category Archives: Iowa Miscellaneous

Nov 13

Election Day and ballot silliness

Posted on Monday, November 13, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

My Substack post with a Tama County Election Day hook, that also took a look at the ballot structures for combined city/school elections, made Saturday’s display at the Iowa Capital Dispatch. If you like, please subscribe! (Better yet, chip in … Continue reading →

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Nov 01

Earliest history of Iowa college football on TV

Posted on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The first part of in-depth research into the real first time football teams from Iowa showed up on television — if not necessarily in Iowa — is live on my Substack.

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Sep 26

Ely community center would replace old school

Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Ely voters in November will be deciding on a $7 million bond issue to build a community center, KCRG reports. (Link includes autoplay video and no longer works in my version of Safari.) The bond does not cover the entire … Continue reading →

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Sep 22

Annexation of entire towns: A history

Posted on Friday, September 22, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In my latest Substack post, I write about some notable cases in Iowa history where one community was entirely subsumed by another. In one case, it was one community swallowing eight others. (I bet you can figure out what city … Continue reading →

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Sep 11

Part of San Marnan Drive renamed

Posted on Monday, September 11, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The westernmost mile of San Marnan Drive in Waterloo has been renamed. As of Sept. 1, the segment from Ansborough Avenue west to West 4th Street is Van G. Miller Way. Miller founded VGM Group, a company located on the … Continue reading →

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Aug 28

Namesake’s descendant visits Waukon

Posted on Monday, August 28, 2023, at 9:50 AM by Jeff

The Waukon Standard has an interesting story about a connection to the town’s history. Prosper Waukon, the great-great-grandson of John Waukon, gave a presentation about his family’s history to the town in late July. The Waukon lineage has a period … Continue reading →

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Aug 04

The Iowa State Fair: An appreciation

Posted on Friday, August 4, 2023, at 1:00 PM by Jeff

My latest Substack column is about something I love. I admit that after going 0-for-3 in job interviews over five weeks, I’m not feeling the last sentence I wrote for it right now. Please subscribe, with money if you feel … Continue reading →

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Jul 28

Pottawattamie County supervisor plan goes up for vote

Posted on Friday, July 28, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

On August 1, Pottawattamie County is going to find out if its current county supervisors plan is going to change. The county currently has five supervisors elected on an at-large basis. The groups that led the petition drive to change … Continue reading →

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Jul 27

MMMFW

Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I have explored the most infamous headline in Iowa history: “Manly Man Marries Fertile Woman.” Read, like, subscribe, etc. over at my Substack.

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Jun 19

More Iowa papers reducing print days

Posted on Monday, June 19, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

May 21, 2023: The fifth-to-last Sunday Mason City Globe Gazette carries an editor’s note about the paper eliminating three of its six print publication days. I bought this at the Lake Mills Casey’s for $4. Four of Iowa’s 11 newspapers that … Continue reading →

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