Author Archives: Jeff

Feb 15

Bellevue bond issue would keep 1848 building

Multiple bond votes in the 2010s to replace Bellevue Elementary failed. This time, the Bellevue school district has scaled back its construction proposal, and the complex with a building from 1848, where school has been held since 1861, would remain … Continue reading

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Feb 13

Millions for special effects, but not one cent for proofreading

Forty seconds into this trailer for SyFy’s “The Ark” — it’s hard to tell because it’s small and pausing on YouTube puts the video controls over it — the word “maintenance” is misspelled on an ID badge. This is not … Continue reading

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Feb 10

The winding history of the Sageville-Luxemburg road (2)

This clip from 1949 Iowa Highway Commission blueprints shows three alignments of IA 3 in Sageville that are nearly on top of each other. The top gray line is the 1932-49 pavement. The middle, with a centerline, is a change … Continue reading

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Feb 08

The winding history of the Sageville-Luxemburg road (1)

Near the beginning of July 2022, a closure of IA 3 in Dubuque County began. The official detour runs all the way from Luxemburg to Dubuque via US 20 and will last two years although the road will be open … Continue reading

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Feb 06

Page County newspapers smushed together

The first attempt at journalism in Page county was the founding of the Page County Herald, the first issue of which bore date of May 24, 1859. … The Herald was a six column folio, all home print, for that … Continue reading

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Feb 03

Vinton gas station rebranded

The headline is generic, but the story is a little longer. John’s Qwik Stop in Vinton, on IA 150, was turned into a Casey’s at the beginning of the year. The owner announced his retirement in November. The gas station … Continue reading

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Feb 01

Benton bond issue would close Keystone, Norway schools

The Benton Community School District, one of a declining number of districts operating sites in more than two towns, is proposing to centralize most of its elementary students. A $48.5 million bond referendum to be voted on in March covers … Continue reading

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Jan 30

Janesville’s old US 218 bridge is gone

Iowa Highway Commission blueprints, April 1928 I have no idea how many overhead truss bridges remain on paved roads in Iowa, but they are few and far between nowadays. The one I knew of for sure, on old US 218 … Continue reading

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Jan 27

Another roundabout for Ottumwa

The intersection of Albia Road and Quincy Avenue in Ottumwa is going to be turned into a roundabout this year, KTVO reports. This intersection is on old US 34, now Business 34. Fifteen years ago, the DOT officially changed the … Continue reading

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Jan 25

East River Township School, 1956-68

In my 2014 Des Moines Register column about Manilla’s school, I invoked the evolution of a “typical” school complex in small-town Iowa. At the core, you have a two- or three-story symmetrical brick structure from 1913-28. An elementary wing comes … Continue reading

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