Author Archives: Jeff

Aug 19

Five things NOT heard at the 2012 Iowa State Fair

Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2012, at 6:25 PM by Jeff

5. This is Mark Pearson on “The Big Show” from the WHO Crystal Studios… (He will be missed.) 4. Wasn’t this more expensive last year? 3. You know what the Cattle Barn needs? More belt buckles. 2. It’s not hot … Continue reading →

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Aug 19

There was an announcement on slashed zeroes

Posted on Sunday, August 19, 2012, at 12:32 PM by Jeff

I apparently missed it. Beginning Nov. 1, 2011, Iowa Prison Industries began manufacturing license plates with a new look for the zero. All license plates containing the numeric zero will now appear as a circle slash zero (AAAØØØ). This change … Continue reading →

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Aug 18

License Plate Countdown — ZWZ

Posted on Saturday, August 18, 2012, at 10:49 PM by Jeff

Only 72,000 combinations to go (3x24x1000, no U’s or V’s).

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Aug 17

Week Zero

Posted on Friday, August 17, 2012, at 7:00 PM by Jeff

The vagaries of the calendar this year, plus the continuation of an extra round of the playoffs, mean that high school football in Iowa starts way, way early this year. That’s right: There are kids in school and football games … Continue reading →

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Aug 17

2012 school directions booklet

Posted on Friday, August 17, 2012, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Just in time for the start of football season (stupid Week 0), I have finished making updates and corrections to the newest edition of the North Tama directory. This booklet has maps for 50 different school districts, including high schools, … Continue reading →

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Aug 17

Sinclair stations staying on Dish

Posted on Friday, August 17, 2012, at 12:34 AM by Jeff

Good news for viewers of channel 2, 17, and 28.

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Aug 16

Crystal Lake runs out of students

Posted on Thursday, August 16, 2012, at 4:25 PM by Jeff

July 6, 2011: School was already out forever for WCLT High school to zero in fifteen months. There aren’t enough kids to justify even a preschool. “We all hoped we could go another year, but the numbers just weren’t there,” said … Continue reading →

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Aug 16

Not the typical Iowa high school

Posted on Thursday, August 16, 2012, at 2:21 PM by Jeff

Waukee shows us what a district can do with an ever-growing tax base and a town population that is six times what it was in 1990 — not counting the other suburbs’ spillover. (Des Moines Register) Meanwhile, Ankeny opened its ninth … Continue reading →

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Aug 16

This was required for Valley to join the SEC

Posted on Thursday, August 16, 2012, at 10:32 AM by Jeff

West Des Moines beats Cedar Rapids to the punch with the second standalone Chick-fil-A in Iowa. Yes, I know the Chick-fil-A is technically in the Waukee district, not WDM. Details, details.

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Aug 15

Pull out the rabbit ears

Posted on Wednesday, August 15, 2012, at 11:51 AM by Jeff

Sinclair Broadcasting is about to yank its TV stations off a cable/satellite lineup again. This time, it’s Dish Network. It’s been five years since Mediacom actually lost the channels for a month, and that was from the middle of the … Continue reading →

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