Author Archives: Jeff

May 02

Who wants chili and cinnamon rolls?

Iowa schoolkids, and former schoolkids, want chili and cinnamon rolls. I even looked up old lunch menus for a story about this Marion Historical Society fundraiser.

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Apr 30

An unusual problem in the news business

There are times when newspapers aren’t delivered because of a blizzard, but at least we know where they are? I admit loving that the description on Seymour Herald’s Facebook page is “A weekly OFFICIAL WAYNE COUNTY NEWSPAPER, with hometown local … Continue reading

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Apr 28

Really delayed spring cleaning

OK, so some of the info from this month-old post is outdated, but the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative additions list is important, and it’s another picture from Pi Day in Springville. (Me? A procrastinating mess? Never.)

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Apr 21

Swan to disincorporate

September 30, 2014: Swan, in far northwest Marion County, was bypassed by the state highway system when what today is IA 5 was realigned in 1928. The IA 316 bridge over the Des Moines River at Runnells was decades in … Continue reading

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Apr 14

Pi Day, delayed

Pie is always in season, not just March 14! Pi Day in Springville is a local holiday.

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Apr 14

Colona-oscopy

In Sunday’s print Des Moines Register, on the “Around the State” page, there was this curious item: In a page that is about stories from the state of Iowa, the Register ran a brief from a city in ILLINOIS — … Continue reading

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Apr 10

Iowa, Louisiana

I’m a bit behind on linking my Substack posts from here — long story. But many of them are not too time-specific. (And those that are, well, they’re still worth reading!) Here is my travel story from Iowa, Louisiana, which … Continue reading

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Apr 08

Boyson Road ramps close

The Iowa DOT says in a press release that the southbound ramps on I-380 to/from Boyson Road close starting today and lasting until July 4. Center Point Road will be used for the connection. This KCRG story from Sept. 29, … Continue reading

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Apr 07

A note on toll roads

The Gazette’s centerpiece last Monday was “Why doesn’t Iowa have toll roads?”. It starts out: “Thirty-six U.S. states have toll roads, including Iowa’s neighbors Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri and Illinois.” Nebraska and Missouri do not have toll roads. Nebraska has two … Continue reading

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A note on toll roads
Apr 01

Windsor Heights got a Casey’s

You might think that news about a Des Moines suburb getting another gas station isn’t too notable, but in this case, I found something. Land was cleared last fall for a Casey’s at the northeast corner of University Avenue and … Continue reading

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