Author Archives: Jeff

Oct 21

Last trips on old Black Hawk Bridge

Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

KCRG led off Sunday night’s newscast (autoplay video) with a story about the closure of the Black Hawk Bridge between Lansing and De Soto, Wisconsin. The free car ferry to take its place while construction continues on its replacement won’t … Continue reading →

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Oct 17

License Plate Letters — ZIC

Posted on Friday, October 17, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Wait a second, you’re saying. We’re into the Q’s of a new cycle. What’s the deal? Well, the deal is, I saw a vehicle with a ZIC license plate at the airport when I was there Tuesday to play music … Continue reading →

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Oct 14

‘Waterloo United High School’

Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

When Waterloo East and Waterloo West merge into a new campus in 2028, that school will be called Waterloo United High School. KWWL covered the introduction of the new nickname, wordmark, logo, and colors last Wednesday. I hate the word … Continue reading →

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Oct 09

Black Hawk Bridge will close Oct. 20

Posted on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Black Hawk Bridge at Lansing, a Driftless Area landmark for nearly a century, will close forever at 7 AM on Oct. 20. Stories: Des Moines Register, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, KCRG (short clip), Iowa DOT press release. The original goal … Continue reading →

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Oct 07

MoDOT proposes US 63 bypass south of US 50

Posted on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

After US 63 crosses I-70 in Missouri, the contours of the countryside change significantly. Northern Missouri has hills, but in southern Missouri, well, the shortest distance between two points is secondary to the HILLS. On Aug. 21, the Missouri DOT … Continue reading →

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Oct 02

When Saturday morning was great

Posted on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I think the loss of Looney Tunes in the Saturday morning lineup 25 years ago (!) was the beginning of the end of Americans’ shared culture.

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Sep 30

Wapello bypass meeting this week

Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 10:20 AM by Jeff

A DOT meeting about the US 61 Wapello bypass will be held Wednesday evening, according to a press release from the DOT. At publication time, a PDF was not available. The line on the map shown on the website appears … Continue reading →

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Sep 25

Part of Dayton Avenue exit to close in 2026

Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Ames Tribune reports that the eastbound exit and entrance ramps to Dayton Avenue will be closed for seven months next year. Westbound ramps will be closed in 2027. The closure from April 1 to Nov. 15 is part of … Continue reading →

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Sep 23

Mega Saver, mega recognition

Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This story was entirely dumb luck (stopping at a Marion Kum & Go that was in the process of becoming not-a-Kum-&-Go) followed by the usual “This data set has to exist somewhere. It doesn’t? Guess I have to find out myself.” … Continue reading →

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Sep 15

South Page extends sharing with Clarinda to 2030

Posted on Monday, September 15, 2025, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In the previous school year (2024-25), the South Page school district resumed sending its upper grades to Clarinda after a short time with Bedford. Last September, shortly after the year began, the two schools agreed to make an extended contract. … Continue reading →

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