🌱 Patch AM: See what three Ames kids are most proud of from 2025

Hello again Ames! We’re bringing you the latest town highlights. Don’t miss out, keep going! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• See what three Ames kids are most proud of from 2025
• How ISU students may reshape Boone’s parks just north of Ames
• How can Ames residents help 800 Iowa kids find permanent families?

Today's riddle: The world champion tongue twister just got arrested! 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Not as cold with some sun, with a high of 37 and low of 30 degrees.
• Wednesday: Cloudy, temps: high: 37, low: 11. ⛄️ Brr!
• Thursday: Increasing amounts of sun, with a high of 27 and low of 17 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. What did you accomplish in 2025? Readers tell us their wins. (washingtonpost.com) — Three Ames siblings are among readers nationwide celebrating personal wins from 2025, including learning to bike, braving weekly dance classes, and tackling a tough class successfully. Their stories sit alongside accomplishments from people across the country, from marathon finishes to major career milestones, all highlighting everyday victories worth celebrating.
   

2. From Classroom to Community (newswise.com) — In Ames State landscape architecture students spent the semester tackling real design challenges for Boone’s parks, from trails and nature play to public art and conservation. Working closely with Boone’s park leaders, residents, and schoolchildren, they tested ideas inspired by Chicago parks and small-town success stories, hoping at least one concept will shape future improvements just a short drive from Ames.
   

3. More Than 800 Iowa Children Await Permanent Families: Join The Impact Circle to Help (rcreader.com) — Ames-based nonprofit Iowans for Adoption is urging local residents to join its new “Impact Circle” to help more than 800 Iowa children in foster care find permanent families. The group invites Ames-area supporters to donate, volunteer, and spread the word so it can expand education on the Safe Haven Act, foster-to-adopt options, and other programs that move kids from shelters into stable homes.
   

4. "Absolute crisis": What US Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Ron DeSantis said about Iowa State transfer exodus (wcfcourier.com) — Iowa State’s wave of football transfers has grown so large that national political figures like Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Ron DeSantis are weighing in, calling it a crisis for college sports. The story references a recent Cyclones home win in Ames and uses that backdrop to highlight growing concern over how the transfer portal is reshaping Iowa State’s roster and the wider NCAA landscape.
   

📸 Around Ames

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

📣 Ames Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Tuesday December 30

• Gilbert Library is Open
  Gilbert, IA Calendar , 207 Main Street , Gilbert
  8:00 am
• Preschool Storytime & crafts at the Library
  Gilbert, IA Calendar , 207 Main Street , Gilbert
  8:30 am
• Intro to Musical Theater: A Winter's Tale
  Story Theater Company , 1609 Golden Aspen Dr #105 , Ames
  9:00 am
• Learn Mahjong Meet-Up
  Sixty Forward , 205 S Walnut Ave , Ames
  1:00 pm

Wednesday December 31

• New Year's closings - Library
  Madrid Public Library , 100 West 3rd Street , Madrid
• Cribbage & Mahjong
  Sixty Forward , 205 S Walnut Ave , Ames
  1:30 pm

Thursday January 1

• Fire Department Meeting
  Gilbert, IA Calendar , 105 SE 2ND STREET , Gilbert
  6:00 pm

Friday January 2

• Girls Basketball: Roland-Story vs West Marshall (Junior Varsity)
  West Marshall High School Gym
  4:30 pm
• Boys Basketball: Roland-Story vs West Marshall (Junior Varsity)
  West Marshall Middle School Gym
  4:30 pm
• Boys Basketball: Roland-Story vs West Marshall (Junior Varsity 2)
  West Marshall Middle School Gym
  5:45 pm
• Girls Basketball: Roland-Story vs West Marshall (Varsity)
  West Marshall High School Gym
  6:00 pm
• Boys Basketball: Roland-Story vs West Marshall (Varsity)
  West Marshall High School Gym
  7:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Ames PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Danfoss, Inc. posted a job opening for Production Planner in Ames. Apply here.
• Weichert, Realtors posted a job opening for Real Estate Agent in Ames. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Ames here.

Ok Ames! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I hear they’re giving him a really tough sentence.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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