Hello! Thanks for stopping by my page. I'm a native Cedar Rapidian and a graduate of the University of Iowa. When I’m not at the station, I can be found hanging out with my rough collie, Velvet, and a cat named Coop. I love exploring NewBo and going to concerts and shows of all kinds. Aside from the Hawks, I love the Bulls, Bears, and White Sox. I also have a soft spot for the Los Angeles Dodgers. (I’ve even been to a game at Dodger Stadium!)
Chad Cooper
Finally, Cedar Rapids!
I was elated when I heard the recent announcement about the upcoming NewBo Music Festival. A summer jam in a hip city neighborhood always makes for good news. But the announcement meant more than that to me.
I've been to quite a few shows over the past couple of years -- from Des Moines to Chicago, Omaha to LA...
Support Under Bridge on 380 Appears to be Crumbling
Now I'm no engineer, but...
This is a picture of the stretch of I-380 southbound over Hawkeye Downs Road and it doesn't look safe. The pic is floating around social media, so I'm sure it'll be addressed in one way or another. I guess we'll just have to see whether it's addressed with just words or actual action...
Memories of Cruisin’ the Ave
A few weeks back I wrote a blog up at krna.com about Urban Dictionary ragging on Cedar Rapids.
It got a lot of attention, drew plenty of comments on our Facebook page, and prompted a discussion on all things CR.
I posted several excerpts from the Urban Dictionary post in my blog, but excluded this one at the time of posting:
A city located in East Central Iowa...
Now I Have an iPhone
I was staunch in my refusal to ever get a smartphone. I have rocked a "dumbphone" for years and had no intention of switching. I've never liked the idea of constantly being "connected" to the world.
Then I folded.
I blame the world and all this damned new technology...
Governor Corbett?
There were some rumblings in the press last week that current Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett is eyeing a possible 2018 run for governor.
Corbett announced last week that he's planning to "pivot" and travel across the state to "talk about issues...
Why Does Iowa City Hate Height?
This week, a lawsuit filed by opponents of the Chauncey, a proposed high-rise building in Iowa City, was dismissed. The lawsuit had been filed against the Iowa City Council.
The proposed 15-story Chauncey project had already been scaled back from its initial 20-story height, after community opposition...
Iowa Baseball Plays a Marathon
What could you do within the span of six hours?
Probably quite a bit.
How about sit and watch a college baseball game?
The University of Iowa baseball team beat Sacramento State last night, 4-3. The game lasted 18 innings and took six hours and two minutes to complete...
I Love NewBo
More than two years ago, I was thinking of buying a house in Cedar Rapids. I looked at several homes in a variety of neighborhoods, but couldn't find the right feel for me.
Then I spotted a home for sale just outside of the New Bohemia neighborhood...
Scottie Pippen’s Daughter Arrested After Peeing Incident in Iowa City
There's been a long-standing rumor that former NBA all-star Scottie Pippen is a bad tipper. We know for sure he was a PTPer (prime time player). Well, now we know that his daughter is a PPPer (pretty pathetic pee-er).
The Night I Saw Jaymz Larson
Enjoy the following haiku poem I wrote about seeing KRNA's own Jaymz Larson out on the town in Cedar Rapids:
I saw Jaymz Larson.
Viking Lounge, Saturday night.
Now "It All Adds Up."