Author Archives: Jeff

Jul 11

Staker Furniture going out of business

July 5, 2017: Staker Furniture and Interiors on Second Street in Traer. Traer’s furniture store is closing its doors. The building was built in 1974 for a relocating Overton Furniture. The current owner, Cindy Youel, said “opportunity knocked” and the … Continue reading

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Jul 10

Gladbrook-Reinbeck dissolution debate and the national mood

A week from tonight, the Gladbrook-Reinbeck school board will have a final meeting regarding a petition to dissolve the school district. There will be an opportunity to share opinions, but I think everyone’s mind is pretty much made up. The … Continue reading

Posted in Schools, Tama County | Comments Off on Gladbrook-Reinbeck dissolution debate and the national mood
Jul 07

North Union, North Kossuth look at consolidation

At least, that’s what I get from the headline-only item from the area weeklies. The North Union School Board page hasn’t been updated with minutes/agendas for THREE YEARS. A radio station link whose headline says the same is already 404’d but … Continue reading

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Jul 06

Iowa’s going to have mismatched plates for a DECADE?

The DOT is finally going to look at a new license plate design. That’s…fine, I guess. Iowa ended up being on the front end of the light-blue-at-top-gradient-to-white style that spread across the country. IIRC, the design — the first not … Continue reading

Posted in License Plates | Comments Off on Iowa’s going to have mismatched plates for a DECADE?
Jul 05

Google [expletive deleted] up Google News

Rant week? Fine, rant week. Keeping up on the “beats” of Iowa highways, school districts, and other things means a regular look for stories. For that, I use Google News a lot. It did a pretty good job of tracking … Continue reading

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Jul 04

Happy Calendar Date of Significance

Remember the joke, “Does Britain have a Fourth of July?” It was funnier when Americans actually remembered the reason the day was special. But now, we get stuff like this. This was the image in an e-mail from MidAmerican Energy: … Continue reading

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Jul 03

OABCIG consolidation passes

June 24, 2017: The school in Odebolt was a sticking point in previously failed reorganization votes. Residents were afraid the town would lose its school. The Odebolt-Arthur and Battle Creek-Ida Grove school districts will consolidate in 2018, the Sioux City … Continue reading

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Jul 01

Canada’s sesquicentennial

June 26, 2007: Inside Ottawa Parliament Hall, Ottawa, Canada. For anyone in the Great White North (or Great White Slightly Northeast, depending) who reads this blog, here’s a commemoration of the unified Dominion of Canada. Iowa exports $3.3 billion of … Continue reading

Posted in Geography | Comments Off on Canada’s sesquicentennial
Jun 30

Front of Sparks Garage has collapsed

April 17, 2016: Sparks Garage in Beaver. A Lincoln Highway landmark in central Iowa has entered its death throes. The Sparks Garage in Beaver, established in 1912 but abandoned for decades, deteriorated significantly in the past year. The cinder blocks … Continue reading

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Front of Sparks Garage has collapsed
Jun 29

A southward expansion of West Des Moines

West Des Moines has had its eyes on northeastern Madison and northwestern Warren counties for a while now, and the concept is taking a step into reality. The city intends to build a bridge over I-35 between the IA 5 … Continue reading

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