Siftings
Feb
13
Tim, Squared
The work day begins and ends with Tim. Tim Whipple, General Counsel for the Iowa Economic Development Authority, is sitting in for Authority Director Debi Durham, who is out of the state on a mission to bring more jobs to Iowa. Tim’s a smart, thoughtful guy, and he does a great job discussing...
Feb
12
Craig’s Friday Countdown - Leaving I-80
Back and forth to Des Moines is not the best part of the gig, but after doing it more than a hundred times, there’s some wisdom to pass on. Not counting rest stops, the 32 opportunities to exit I-80 from Des Moines to Davenport are:
32) Exit 142 (Altoona) – If you exit at the first opportunity,...
Feb
11
Des Moines Bound
It’s 165 miles from Davenport City Hall to the State Capitol. Through today and tomorrow, Mayor Gluba, Alds. Gordon, Meeker and Justin will shuttle back and forth, with a small collection of staff, to represent Davenport at the QC Chamber’s annual lobbying visit. I’m bringing buttons.
24,500 new...
Feb
09
Over The Boards
“We might get to see some surgery tonight.” I point at the suture kit on the hip of the trainer on the other side of the plexi-glass and raise an eyebrow at Colin. Sitting right behind the Wichita Thunder bench at the iWireless Center, the pre-game circus is in progress. It’s choreographed, loud...
Feb
05
Canon (open)
Urbana calls Tuesday. The home of the University of Illinois, which was home to ILLIAC, the first computer ever owned by a university, is trying to catch up to Davenport. The guy on the phone is from their IT department, and he’s trying to talk his colleagues into opening their expenditures to...
Feb
04
Chatter
The blade chatters across the pavement. Truck 991 has a new operator getting used to the pistol grip plow controller. In the back of the Public Works yard, I’m heeding the advice of PW Director Clarke to practice before I head out to where the action is. I plowed my way through every college...
Jan
30
Saddle Up
I would have been a Maverick. In the cafeteria last night at Mid City High, I think back to the bumpy trail that was my high school career. My conventional high school did well with students with conventional lives, but they didn’t have a clue about what to do with a kid working full-time to help...
Jan
29
Craig’s Friday Countdown Astronauts
American Astronauts
10) Tie – Everyone who isn’t numbered 9 – 1.
9) Leland Melvin – Because of his official picture, posted this week.
8) John Glenn – First American in orbit. Returns to space on the Discovery at age 77. Democrats go with Mondale in 1984 instead of him. Reagan carries...
Jan
28
Since 1941
Returning from Chicago Monday, I’m filling up the Jeep at the DeKalb oasis. Some guy filling up a Toyota Camry asks “Is that thing loud on the highway”? I tell him it’s louder than his car but not too bad. He says he’s always wanted a Jeep, but hasn’t been able to take one on a test drive. This...
Jan
28
Thar She Blows
(Note: the original davenporttoday.com post did not include the handy link to the 1/23/15 Times article)
Tom Saul had it right. Back when newspapers had beat reporters that would spend their day plying the city for THE story, it would be customary for him to spend fifteen minutes or so in my...
