News

The American Red Cross has an emergency need for blood and platelet donors to give now to address a severe winter blood shortage. Please make an appointment now to give blood or platelets using the Blood Donor App, by visiting redcrossblood.organdnbsp;or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

We are very proud of our own George Merkle, PE, who reached a donation total of 52 gallons today, and Dan Good, PE who is nearing 54 gallons!

Introduced by Eisenhower in the 1950s, the freeway system—90 percent of which was paid for by federal funding—may be the country’s greatest-ever gift to itself. While it generally follows standard procedures in terms of signage, routing, and numbering, there are points in the system where things get a little weird. andnbsp;(Via Atlas Obscura)

The McCune’s now have two 2,400 head wean to finish barns that will contribute to the local economy through taxes and providing jobs. In addition, each barn will consume a large amount of local corn and soybeans and produce 5 million slices of bacon each. That’s 10 million slices of bacon per year being produced by two barns in Bureau County!

An abandoned 200-acre hydraulic model of the Mississippi River Basin testifies to the long battle to control the great river.

Infrastructure makes modern civilization possible. Roads, power grids, sewage systems and water networks all underpin society as we know it, forming the basis of our built environment … at least when they work.

In theory, infrastructure is a bipartisan issue – everyone wants roads and bridges to be nice, safe and smooth. In practice, big infrastructure projects tend to go over budget and lack accountability. Arguably this is both a political and cultural issue: we as a nation need to become more invested in our infrastructure, financially and emotionally. Perhaps it is time to reclaim the term “public works” as a reminder to politicians and citizens alike that these projects are undertaken by and for the people. (viaandnbsp;99% Invisible)