Author Archives: Jeff

Oct 04

West Sioux bond would replace 1961 Ireton addition

There’s apparently a 1921 school hiding somewhere in Ireton. It’s not readily visible, but something from that year would get renovations, according to West Sioux’s plans for a bond referendum. Aerial photos show that a building that was there in … Continue reading

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Oct 02

Okoboji retreat recap

I have written about my experience at the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat. I hope you enjoy it. This post was delayed as I spent the week dealing with laryngitis that struck two hours after a job interview and berating myself over … Continue reading

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Sep 29

Repeat clues appear on ‘Jeopardy!’

One of my favorite clues on “Jeopardy!” appeared again Wednesday. “Total cubic feet of earth in a hole 1 yard wide, 1 yard long & 1 yard deep,” was a clue in “Tricky Questions.” This time the first to buzz … Continue reading

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Sep 28

Lost and found for old schools

On the grounds where the Ferguson school used to stand in Marshall County, a class ring was lost in 1961. The ring’s original owner and the boyfriend who lost it still got married. Earlier this month, someone with a metal … Continue reading

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Sep 26

Ely community center would replace old school

Ely voters in November will be deciding on a $7 million bond issue to build a community center, KCRG reports. (Link includes autoplay video and no longer works in my version of Safari.) The bond does not cover the entire … Continue reading

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Sep 22

Annexation of entire towns: A history

In my latest Substack post, I write about some notable cases in Iowa history where one community was entirely subsumed by another. In one case, it was one community swallowing eight others. (I bet you can figure out what city … Continue reading

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Sep 20

Kenyon Road bridges to be replaced

Excerpt from the Iowa State Highway Commission’s blueprints for “650′ continuous steel frame overhead crossing,” over what’s now South 7th Street, dated 1934. The Kenyon Road bridge(s) opened in 1936-37. Before that, US 20 crossed the Des Moines River on … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Kenyon Road bridges to be replaced
Sep 18

Council Bluffs interstate celebration today

An e-mail sent out last week to subscribers of the Council Bluffs Interstate System project is inviting the public to a celebration today (Sept. 18). The event is to mark the (almost) completion of the I-29/480 interchange, which had not … Continue reading

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Sep 15

Manson-NW Webster began with football

Manson was one of the stops on WHO sports’ RVTV week before the Iowa-Iowa State game. The station did a feature on Manson-Northwest Webster. Although the districts began whole-grade sharing in 1990 and consolidated in 1993, the first appearance of … Continue reading

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Sep 13

Town vs. township, school edition

If you’ve read my Substack post from Monday, don’t spoil the reveal for those who will only see it after seeing today’s post.

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