Author Archives: Jeff

May 03

Raising Cane’s coming to West Des Moines

October 20, 2016: Specialty marketing for this Raising Cane’s in downtown Baton Rouge had to improvise after LSU coach Les Miles was abruptly panic-fired in a Les-Miles-fashion loss to Auburn. In my Big South Trip of fall 2016, I got … Continue reading

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May 02

Holland school to be demolished

July 7, 2015: The brick and oversized window openings, if not the small playground, give away that this building in Holland was a school once. (Photo of the back, facing what clearly was a bad direction for the time of … Continue reading

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May 01

I-74 bridge construction on schedule

KWQC has an update for the beginning of construction season, along with a video that shows piers up and roadbed being laid on the Iowa side. In order for more piers to be put up, the US 67 exit will … Continue reading

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Apr 30

Important scientific discovery that deserves serious presentation

In case you missed it last week: Uranus smells like rotten eggs. WHO’s Jannay Towne, in attempting to report the news, did exactly what anyone else would do. A Grand Island Independent columnist did a short roundup of headlines.

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Apr 27

Gladbrook school, pool sunk

Almost completely unrelated to yesterday’s blog post, but definitely tied to one from last week, is some sad news from Gladbrook. The entire school complex is likely to be torn down, says the Grundy Register. That includes the swimming pool, … Continue reading

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Apr 26

New Traer pool to open when summer starts

A completely new pool will open in Traer on Memorial Day weekend, the Star-Clipper reports. This replaces the pool that opened in the late 1970s. On an unrelated note, the Star-Clipper has a new editor, who is three years out … Continue reading

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Apr 25

Lost (in) Younkers

April 2, 2018: The Younkers at Westdale Mall in Cedar Rapids remained after all the interior of the mall was demolished. That’s when the “Open During Construction” banner was put up. Off camera, across Williams Boulevard, is a Toys “R” … Continue reading

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Apr 24

Highway 20. This year. Seriously. We mean it.

June 25, 2006: For more than half a century, the 1½ mile fraction of a four-lane US 20, mostly with US 59, stood alone surrounded by two-lane roads. I put a photo of the other end of this segment with … Continue reading

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Apr 23

Big 80/380 interchange meeting today

September 30, 1970: Initial construction stage of the I-80/I-380/US 218 interchange in Johnson County, via Iowa Geographic Map Server. It was built as a cloverleaf, but US 218 to the south would come after I-380 opened. You know it’s important … Continue reading

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Apr 20

Kyle Munson’s last day at Register

The number of my former co-workers who remain at The Des Moines Register has taken a hit this year. No fewer than four (that I know of) have checked out in six weeks. That includes columnist Kyle Munson, whose last … Continue reading

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