Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Which big Ames projects will change your routines in 2026?
Coming up: Fire Department Meeting on the Ames Patch calendar
Greetings Ames! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Which big Ames projects will change your routines in 2026?
- When Luke Combs will take over Jack Trice Stadium in Ames
- How a onetime Ames kid is helping drive today’s AI boom
Today's riddle: Playing golf is bad for your brain. 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Amesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Thursday: Colder with decreasing clouds, with a high of 27 and low of 19 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
- Friday: Partial sunshine, temps: high: 32, low: 22.
- Saturday: Partial sunshine, with a high of 36 and low of 21 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. From a KFC to CyTown, here are Ames developments to watch in 2026 (amestrib.com) — Major projects in Ames are set to reshape daily life in 2026, from the nearly finished Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center to the long-awaited Olive Garden and a new KFC at North Grand Mall. CyTown, The Linc with a proposed Ames Event Center, and nearby Boone developments will add jobs, entertainment, and recreation options for Ames-area residents over the next few years. 
Find out what's happening in Amesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
2. A Countdown Has Appeared On Luke Combs' Website, & It Sounds Like An Album Announcement Is Coming VERY Soon (whiskeyriff.com) — Luke Combs is bringing his massive My Kinda Saturday Night Tour to Jack Trice Stadium in Ames on April 11, giving local country fans a major stadium show to look forward to. The article mainly dissects a new countdown on his website, suggesting he’ll soon announce a new album to accompany the 2026 tour.
3. Is this real? How generative AI is growing and the risks to Iowans (desmoinesregister.com subscription) — A former Ames resident who lived here while his parents studied at Iowa State is now leading a fast-growing AI video platform, raising new questions for Iowans about what’s real online. Local professors at Iowa State and the University of Iowa weigh in on how generative AI is reshaping creativity, classrooms, journalism and the risks of misinformation and abuse.
4. The Weekly Fast Break: Hardcourt resolutions (thenexthoops.com) — Iowa State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are both undefeated and ranked in the national top 10, making tickets in Ames increasingly hard to snag this winter. A broader women’s basketball roundup highlights rising programs, media-coverage debates, and a packed early-January slate that includes Iowa State hosting Baylor on January 4.
5. LaVonne Tomena VanDeWalle (esthervillenews.net) — Family and friends are remembering 101-year-old LaVonne Tomena VanDeWalle, whose daughter Kathy Shonkwiler lives in Ames. LaVonne spent her life working and volunteering in Emmet County, staying active in church, community groups, and fitness activities until late in life; a memorial service is planned for June 2026.
📸 Around Ames
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📣 Ames Shout Outs!
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🗓 Events Nearby
- Fire Department Meeting
Gilbert, IA Calendar , 105 SE 2ND STREET , Gilbert
6:00 pm - Gilbert Library is Open
Gilbert, IA Calendar , 207 Main Street , Gilbert
8:00 am - 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 - Girls Basketball: Iowa Falls-Alden vs Roland-Story (Junior Varsity)
Roland-Story High School North Gym
4:30 pm - Boys Basketball: Iowa Falls-Alden vs Roland-Story (Junior Varsity)
Roland-Story High School
4:30 pm - Girls Basketball: Iowa Falls-Alden vs Roland-Story (Varsity)
Roland-Story High School North Gym
6:00 pm - Boys Basketball: Iowa Falls-Alden vs Roland-Story (Junior Varsity 2)
Roland-Story High School South Gym
6:00 pm - City Council Meeting
Gilbert, IA Calendar , 105 SE 2ND STREET , Gilbert
6:30 pm
Thursday January 1
Friday January 2
Monday January 5
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
- Ames Public Works crews have identified a water main break on Ontario Street.
Ontario Street will be closed between North Dakota and Delaware avenues starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31 for repairs. The estimated repair… (Nextdoor ) - I've been busy and set an appointment with a dentist and want to cancel that appointment and find someone else.
Any recommendations will be helpful? I can't find the other dental recommendations I was given before, sorry! I am sincerely thankful for your help! (Nextdoor Ridgewood)
- Skechers USA, Inc. posted a job opening for Retail Sales Associate in Ames. Apply here.
- Driveline Retail posted a job opening for Master Merchandiser 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 just heard a golfer say he had four strokes on the first hole!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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