Author Archives: Jeff

Mar 24

Jinx

Posted on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Don’t do this again, ISU Alumni Association. Even if it means you have to wait to send the message until 10 PM Sunday. (Due to work, I observed the score at halftime and then did not observe again.) PS: How … Continue reading →

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Mar 24

Major overnight closures on I-35/80 this week

Posted on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This week, the western third or so of the I-35/80 multiplex in the Des Moines suburbs will close from 11 PM to 4 AM. The closures are needed for converting the Hickman Road exit into a diverging diamond interchange. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Major overnight closures on I-35/80 this week
Mar 19

Waterloo rebuilding part of San Marnan Drive

Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

One of the biggest construction projects on San Marnan Drive since the route was built as IA 412 is Waterloo’s big project this summer. The road is going to be rebuilt this year, and much of the underlying road likely … Continue reading →

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Mar 13

School enrollment map, 2000-25, and more

Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This is the second part of my work on 2025 enrollment information. It’s a map of changes since 2000 for districts that haven’t substantially changed in size, and also the roundup of eye-popping Waukee statistics.

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on School enrollment map, 2000-25, and more
Mar 11

School enrollment and ESAs for 2024-25

Posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

My number crunching for school enrollment has a new dimension: education savings accounts, or vouchers, and where students using them are from, and how much money the state could have given to public schools instead of private schools. By the … Continue reading →

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Mar 07

Orient-Macksburg dissolution passes

Posted on Friday, March 7, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Orient-Macksburg school district will dissolve after the 2025-26 school year. The vote wasn’t close, 203-18, with 10 of the no’s coming from Madison County. Most of the district’s land and students will become part of Nodaway Valley. Orient-Macksburg’s speech … 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 →

Posted in Tama County | Comments Off on Some people will drink to this
Feb 28

Dubuque wants roundabouts on University Avenue

Posted on Friday, February 28, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Four roundabouts are planned for central Dubuque on the University Avenue corridor. KCRG reports that drivers are using that street to get off US 20. (University is an ancient alignment of 20.) This plan would require buying houses at certain … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Dubuque wants roundabouts on University Avenue
Feb 25

Does it need a ‘SLOW’ triangle?

Posted on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

There’s going to be something big moving on the highways in Washington County today and tomorrow. (Too bad I already have something in the works for Substack this week.)

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Does it need a ‘SLOW’ triangle?
Feb 24

Watching TV is so hard nowadays

Posted on Monday, February 24, 2025, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

About a month ago, Mediacom shut off its unencrypted cable signal. That means my favorite way to watch TV — on the computer — couldn’t work with cable anymore. Ironically, even as I write this now, the signal to my … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Watching TV is so hard nowadays