Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 22

Tama County map meetings on three mornings

Posted on Monday, January 22, 2024, at 9:00 AM by Jeff

Notice for three public meetings regarding the proposed five-district map for the Tama County Supervisors will be this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday — all at 9:45 AM (UGH!). So this blog post is live at 9 and if you hurry … Continue reading →

Posted in Maps, Tama County | Comments Off on Tama County map meetings on three mornings
Jan 19

Shenandoah, somewhere

Posted on Friday, January 19, 2024, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Iowa has not one but TWO stories about babies in a blizzard: In western Marshall County, a sheriff’s deputy walked half a mile through the snow to assist with a delivery at a farmhouse. The Marshalltown Times-Republican has a clinical recap … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Shenandoah, somewhere
Jan 17

Caucus reporting from Reinbeck

Posted on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I reported on a precinct caucus in Grundy County for my Substack (and the Sun-Courier newspaper). This was the first presidential caucus in my adult life where I wasn’t working for an Iowa newspaper. It came 200 days after being … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Caucus reporting from Reinbeck
Jan 15

Politico vs. Pizza Ranch

Posted on Monday, January 15, 2024, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

We were close to getting out of the 2024 caucuses without major broadsides on Iowa for being Iowa, but then the Associated Press went for it: Iowa’s winter blast could make an unrepresentative way of picking presidential nominees even more … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Politico vs. Pizza Ranch
Jan 12

Southern Benton County lost its newspaper

Posted on Friday, January 12, 2024, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Publication of a newspaper dedicated to the interests of Belle Plaine and southern Benton County ceased at the end of 2023. The Belle Plaine Union had that name for the overwhelming majority of its life. The Blairstown Press and the Benton … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Southern Benton County lost its newspaper
Jan 10

Update on Preston’s Station restoration

Posted on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Last year, Preston’s Station in Belle Plaine marked its 100th year of existence and 95th year at its current location. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. In the past few years, a concentrated … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous, Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Update on Preston’s Station restoration
Jan 08

Cedar Rapids turns 175

Posted on Monday, January 8, 2024, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Cedar Rapids is officially the fourth-oldest incorporated community in Iowa, behind Farmington, Burlington, and Keokuk. (Note that incorporation is different from founding.) This week, the city is marking its 175th birthday with a ceremony and a time capsule. The city’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cedar Rapids turns 175
Jan 05

IA 150 corridor gets intense review

Posted on Friday, January 5, 2024, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

The Iowa DOT has undertaken a comprehensive review of IA 150 between Urbana and Oelwein that would upgrade the highway to Super-2 status. This is similar to what it did for US 63 between US 6 and Hudson. Here’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on IA 150 corridor gets intense review
Jan 02

2023 year in review column

Posted on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The inspiration for my 2023 year-end column came from the very end of 2022, as I was making flight reservations. It’s a good thing, I suppose, given what happened June 29. I don’t expect to be able to take many, … Continue reading →

Posted in Trip Reports | Comments Off on 2023 year in review column
Dec 28

License Plate Letters — NZF; Minnesota copycats

Posted on Thursday, December 28, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Let the record show that Iowa plates reached the end of the N’s before the end of 2023. What will the next leading letter be? That’s not necessarily an obvious answer, since the 1997 series jumped from N to P. … Continue reading →

Posted in License Plates | Comments Off on License Plate Letters — NZF; Minnesota copycats