Category Archives: Tama County

Jan 06

Toledo getting a McDonald’s

Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Tama-Toledo News-Chronicle says the Toledo City Council approved a plat of land “contingent on Fareway’s signature” that “is planned to be used for a new McDonald’s.” That’s big news! The Toledo city website has a bad link to the … Continue reading →

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Dec 10

Veterans Day at North Tama

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

Obviously, this happened a month ago, but I’ve been busy.

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Dec 01

Traer losing its doctor’s office

Posted on Monday, December 1, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

November 11, 2025: MercyOne Traer Family Medicine opened as the North Tama Medical Clinic in 1976. A decade after losing the town’s longtime dentist, and a few years removed from losing the town’s once-a-week optometrist, the town of Traer is … Continue reading →

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Nov 06

Gladbrook-Reinbeck bond issue succeeds — barely

Posted on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 11:00 AM by Jeff

Well, how about that. It took Grundy County voting more than 90% in favor, but it happened. I cover the G-R bond vote and many more, with a map of every district in the state that had a bond referendum, … Continue reading →

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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 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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Aug 20

RIP, Pizza Palace

Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 10:17 AM by Jeff

Let the record show that I had the last two deep dish/pan slices from pizzas bought at Traer Pizza Palace. (I was told the mediums we were able to get were “the last” non-thin crusts.)

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Aug 11

One-stoplight play

Posted on Monday, August 11, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Community members put on the play “One Stoplight Town” at the Wieting Theatre in Toledo on July 12. It was a good play. Perhaps the most emotional part for me, though, was learning that the lead was played by someone … Continue reading →

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Mar 05

Some people will drink to this

Posted on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Tama County now has a (one, singular) Starbucks. It’s not a standalone site, it’s inside the casino, but it still counts … right? (Funny enough, it’s about equal distance from Traer to the casino as it is from Traer to … Continue reading →

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Dec 16

North Tama dropping to 8-man football

Posted on Monday, December 16, 2024, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

A pretty much expected decision happened last month. After spending multiple cycles as the smallest public school in Iowa by BEDS numbers playing 11-man football, North Tama will drop to 8 going forward. (Story: North Tama Telegraph.) About half of the opponents … Continue reading →

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