Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 29

New MOC-FV elementary would eliminate Hospers school

Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Finishing a miniseries of school bond blog posts, I suppose. A proposal to consolidate elementary schools in the MOC-FV school district would result in one town losing its school. A story on KTIV says the district is proposing a new … Continue reading →

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Jan 28

South Tama proposal would eliminate Toledo school

Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Toledo could become the first county seat in Iowa without an active school building. That statement is both accurate and misleading. The South Tama High School building — and subsequent additions in the 21st century that eliminated all other sites … Continue reading →

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Jan 27

Cedar Rapids Prairie needs a bond issue. Again.

Posted on Monday, January 27, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In early 2016, the College Community School District (Cedar Rapids Prairie) approved a $49.5 million bond issue. This paid for multiple major construction projects on the school’s sprawling campus site on the south side of Cedar Rapids. The campus is a … Continue reading →

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Jan 24

Legislature tries to circumvent will of the voters

Posted on Friday, January 24, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

OH COME ON. Of all the things that Iowans can’t find agreement on, “license plates” probably wasn’t on the list a decade ago. In 2017, the state offered voters three choices for a new license plate. A reworked version of … Continue reading →

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Jan 23

Utah keeps powering past Iowa, with Nevada on its tail

Posted on Thursday, January 23, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The depopulation of rural Iowa is now a problem for the National Guard. In the adjutant general’s “Condition of the Guard” message to the Iowa Legislature earlier this month, he said: “I can’t continue to have quality infrastructure where I’m pouring … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Utah keeps powering past Iowa, with Nevada on its tail
Jan 22

How Minnesota, and California, will vote ahead of Iowa

Posted on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Before, states seeking to usurp Iowa and New Hampshire as the first-in-the-nation for primary cycles would move their elections forward in the calendar in a game of chicken. Now there’s a simpler, yet more insidious method: Early voting. Minnesota voters … Continue reading →

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Jan 21

Nevada paving project doesn’t change US 30 configuration

Posted on Tuesday, January 21, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

There was a meeting last week about US 30 in the Nevada area, but what may be more interesting is what it wasn’t about. In the mid-2010s, there was discussion about closing at-grade intersections on US 30 between Ames and … Continue reading →

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Jan 20

Mile of old US 65 turned over

Posted on Monday, January 20, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The only interesting development from last week’s Transportation Commission meeting was a transfer of jurisdiction. The segment in question is a mile or so of US 65 that was left behind when the interchange in Jasper County was built. You can … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Mile of old US 65 turned over
Jan 17

On bubbles, or possibly rocks

Posted on Friday, January 17, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Am I living in one or are they living under one? From Wednesday. WATCH: Adam Schiff was an answer on "Jeopardy!" and none of the contestants knew who he was https://t.co/4A8AA2R1kW pic.twitter.com/a693uJV4kJ — The Hill (@thehill) January 16, 2020 If … Continue reading →

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Jan 16

The passing of an age, a couple ages ago

Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

“That the ranks of Civil War veterans are being thinned more rapidly as the years pass is indicated by the mortality figures at the Iowa Soldiers’ Home for the year 1919. The heaviest death rate ever known in the institution … Continue reading →

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