Author Archives: Jeff

Nov 08

What’s better than a Gunderburger?

Why, my second Gunderburger, of course. (The first was almost six years to the day earlier, supper before North Tama played Valley-CEW at the school between Elgin and Clermont.) September 12, 2017: Yes, inject that Midwestern-ness directly into my arteries.

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Nov 07

What’s worse than a roundabout?

Waterloo Courier: CEDAR FALLS – City officials are preparing to begin the third and final phase of the University Avenue project in 2018, which includes a double roundabout at the on- and off-ramps at Iowa Highway 58’s interchange.

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Nov 06

Northeast Hamilton one step closer to elimination

Late last month, the Webster City and Northeast Hamilton school districts approved reorganization petitions for a vote in April. The story from the Webster City Freeman-Journal mentions “two possible district maps” and I admit I don’t know what this means … Continue reading

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Nov 03

100th anniversary of Merle Hay’s death

June 20, 2017: The centerpiece of the Merle Hay monument in Glidden has artwork from “Ding” Darling. Click here for larger version. One hundred years ago today, Merle Hay of Glidden became the first Iowan and one of the first … Continue reading

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Nov 02

‘Bridge Fest – The Last Drive’

September 27, 2015: A boat passes under the US 52/IA 64 Savanna-Sabula bridge. A new bridge has been built immediately downstream (foreground) over the past two years. The easternmost bridge in Iowa had a “closing ceremony” Oct. 21. A parade … Continue reading

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Nov 01

Iowa’s brain drain and the 2016 election

I’ve made a lot of blog posts and writeups about Iowa population and politics-adjacent issues, but the 2016 election brought forth a forehead-smacking-obvious postulate that eluded me until June*: If level of education becomes a political factor, Iowa’s “brain drain” … Continue reading

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Oct 31

North Tama volleyball one step from state

In the span of three school years — fall 2010 to spring 2013 — North Tama sports had their best overall period in school history. Those three years included appearances in the state tournament in four different sports: football (state … Continue reading

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Oct 30

The world turned upside down, continued

A mini-roundup of the reverberation of Iowa State’s sudden hot streak and the fully armed and operational Big 12 circular firing squad: Washington Post: It has reached the point where we might as well go ahead and say there are … Continue reading

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Oct 29

The world turned upside down

Here is the final call from the Cyclone Radio Network: pic.twitter.com/UWohbAXfHo — Cyclone Football (@CycloneFB) October 28, 2017 (Still can’t even.)

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Oct 27

Oskaloosa bypass plans finalized

A “preferred alternative” for a northwest Oskaloosa bypass of US 63 has been selected and many preliminary studies have been completed. A meeting Nov. 2 at the Oskaloosa library Middle School, the first in nearly three years, will have information about … Continue reading

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