Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 29

Corning-Villisca merger on hold

Posted on Friday, January 29, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Corning and Villisca, which started whole-grade sharing in 2013 as Southwest Valley, last year started to make gestures toward full consolidation. But like pretty much everything else, the plague got in the way. KMA reports that the merger is on … Continue reading →

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Jan 27

Grassley makes Traer early stop on 99-county tour

Posted on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

It hasn’t been a full year since Sen. Chuck Grassley last visited Tama County, but in four months he checked it off both his 2020 and 2021 lists. The senator visited Clearline Industries on Traer’s south side on Jan. 13 … Continue reading →

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Jan 26

115th anniversary of ‘Leander Clark College’

Posted on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In southern Linn County, just north of Shueyville, is a map dot called Western. The town came into existence in 1856 and was named because it had the westernmost college of the United Brethren Church. A Western College Road still … Continue reading →

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Jan 25

Rodney Dangerfield, call your office

Posted on Monday, January 25, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I know ESPN’s been having trouble, but… (The announcing crew at the Baylor game said “Iowa Cyclones” at least once.)

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Jan 20

IA 88: The road that torqued off a Legislature

Posted on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In 1920, IA 88 was a harmless little highway, between the tiny town of Altoona and the tinier town of Bondurant, slightly lengthened a year later. In 1935, it was nothing less than the first piece of a giant conspiracy, … Continue reading →

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Jan 18

Four verts, basketball style

Posted on Monday, January 18, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In case you missed the biggest sports story of the weekend. @GoDucksMC I am sure you have seen this play, but I never had. Late in the game as Iowa State was about to beat Baylor: pic.twitter.com/b6EGheqIxH — Carl Woideck … Continue reading →

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Jan 15

Little Brown Church being renovated

Posted on Friday, January 15, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 31, 2005: Closeup of LBC’s nameplate. The Waterloo Courier has a story, and some pretty courtesy photos, about the Little Brown Church getting its first major renovations in decades. The story mentions that a letter was left for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Little Brown Church being renovated
Jan 13

Can I backdate a passport?

Posted on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This sounds interesting: Through the new Scenic Byways Passport, travelers can check in at 12 scenic byways and more than 100 unique attractions and local businesses. Each check-in to a location on the passport earns travelers one entry into a … Continue reading →

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Jan 11

‘Rehab’ on IA 28, Sioux City pages

Posted on Monday, January 11, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

“Pavement Rehab” is a line often used in DOT five-year plans regarding construction projects. That phrase makes sense for what I’ve done on the IA 12, Business US 20 (Sioux City), the combined IA 12 South/Business 20 East, and IA … Continue reading →

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Jan 08

Allamakee Freedom Rock has a roof over its head

Posted on Friday, January 8, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Allamakee County Freedom Rock was painted in Waukon City Park this summer and dedicated on Sept. 11. It has something other Freedom Rocks in the state do not have — its own shelter. A story and pictures at the … Continue reading →

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