Category Archives: Iowa Miscellaneous

Oct 23

Iowa’s new election gender imbalance

After years and years of Iowa getting tsk-tsked for never electing a woman to Congress (I went into some reasoning for this in 2012), we shouldn’t let this year go by without pointing something out: Seven of the 10 major-party candidates … Continue reading

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Oct 19

Another matter of perspective

The new exit for IA 141 from northbound I-35/80, along with a half-diamond to the south at Meredith Drive, opened Friday. The Register had a preview earlier in the week. Presumably, northbound/eastbound, the Meredith exit will be 127A, and the … Continue reading

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Oct 02

‘Symphony of Iowa’ scavenger hunt

The Cedar Rapids Gallery of Art has selected 125 works to be on display for a 125th anniversary exhibit, reports the Gazette. That will go through mid-January. Among the works is a big one I didn’t know about, “Symphony of Iowa … Continue reading

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Sep 17

941

The Humboldt County town of Pioneer has unincorporated. After reading the funeral announcement — aka the City Development Board minutes of August 12 — it died of loneliness and apathy. (The word “apathy” is actually in there. There were only three … Continue reading

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Aug 21

‘Votes count now’

From the September 23, 1920, Tama Herald, unsigned but presumably from editor/publisher Charles J. Wonser: Votes count now. For many years we men have been told what would happen if women were given equal suffrage with men. Now they have … Continue reading

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Aug 19

A Grundy County suffrage pioneer

Women in Iowa had been given partial suffrage in 1894, allowed to vote “on school issues, local officers, or bond-related matters.” The suffrage movement had been active in Iowa for half a century before ratification of the 19th Amendment to … Continue reading

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Aug 17

Some derecho pictures

The worst part of the derecho that wreaked havoc on so much of Iowa its effects can be seen from space lasted about an hour and a half. Its effects will be felt for years. August 12, 2020: MANY places … Continue reading

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Jul 29

2010s state travel recap, a town view

Originally written shortly after Christmas 2019, then fell down the line. You will see why that’s important. — Ed. July 26, 2016: Joice is 11 miles from the state line and half an hour from the nearest Wal-Mart (Albert Lea and … Continue reading

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Jul 23

A cure worse than the disease?

Spanish Influenza yields to old-fashioned remedy Recent research tells us that the Spanish influenza germ and the Grippe germ are much alike. The sneezing, the racking cough and the inflammation in chest and throat of Spanish influenza is swiftly relieved … Continue reading

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Jul 13

The Gone-der-burger, 13 months too late

Gunder is a map dot in Clayton County with one establishment to its unincorporated name: The Irish Shanti, home of the Gunderburger, a whole pound (post-cooked!) of delicious cow packaged between two slices of bread, served with crinkle fries or … Continue reading

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