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Ames Voice

Mid-Iowa Community News

Ames Voice

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Ames City Council

City council reviews public nuisance ordinance

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published July 24, 2025
The city’s new public nuisance ordinance, which includes rules on outdoor storage, overgrowth and campers, led to an increase in complaints in its first year. City staff received 996 complaints in 2024 compared to 826 the previous year.
Future site of Ames Animal Shelter

City moves closer to approving new animal shelter

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published July 23, 2025
The Ames City Council moved a step closer to spending $588,000 to hire architects to design a new animal shelter at 2715 Dayton Ave. The project received a major boost from a $3 million anonymous donation and will replace the old, outdated shelter at 325 Billy Sunday Road.
Rummage RAMPage started in 2016 as a way for used goods to find new homes instead of going into the landfill.

Your trash is someone else’s treasure at Rummage RAMPage

by Kyle Werner, Reporter
Published July 23, 2025
In Ames, your trash can easily become someone else’s treasure. This weekend marks the beginning of Rummage RAMPage, a nine-day long sale at the Ames Intermodal Facility parking ramp where used furniture and housewares are saved from the landfill and find their new homes as mid-summer leases expire and students move to and from Ames.
A rendering of the future location of Friendship Ark and The Arc of Story County.

JAX campus gets new life as hub for area nonprofits

by Kyle Werner, Reporter
Published July 23, 2025
The three Ames nonprofits Friendship Ark, the Arc of Story County and Overflow, are coming together to take over the JAX Outdoor Gear campus, 4723 Lincoln Way. The sporting goods store will close later this summer after 70 years. The nonprofits make the move to expand services and space, which will operate as administrative offices, meeting space, recreational facilities and a new thrift store.
A sign in front of what used to be Mullet's shows a new restaurant, Patio Bar & Grill, will soon open in West Ames.

New Mexican restaurant to fill vacancy in west Ames

by Kyle Werner, Reporter
Published July 22, 2025
A sign with margaritas and a palm tree has been erected in front of Dakota Crossing, signaling a new tenant for the space suddenly vacated by Mullet’s in April. Juan Dominguez, who owns other Mexican restaurants in Iowa, hopes to open Patio Bar & Grill before the end of the summer.
Ames Community School District office located on 24th Street.

School board to have 4 openings this fall, hears of testing changes

by Kyle Werner, Reporter
Published July 16, 2025

Four seats will open on the Ames School Board for the 2025 election. Along with the four openings announced at Monday’s board meeting, there was news of other changes to the Ames Community School...

Ames City Councilpersons Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, left, Gloria Betcher and Amber Corrieri announced recently they will seek reelection in November.

3 city council members announce reelection bids

by Anthony Capps, Reporter
Published July 15, 2025

Ames City Council members Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Gloria Betcher and Amber Corrieri have announced they'll seek reelection in November. The incumbents’ seats are up for reelection on the six-member...

Mexican restaurant La Casa Maya, 631 Lincoln Way, was denied renewal of its liquor license at the July 8 meeting of the Ames City Council.

City council denies liquor license renewal for La Casa Maya

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published July 9, 2025
The Ames City Council voted to deny the liquor license renewal for La Casa Maya restaurant, located at 631 Lincoln Way, after it failed too many alcohol compliance checks.
Members of the Ames City Council met in regular session July 8 to consider a modified agenda of topics. However, due to a power outage at city hall, the meeting had to be held online with several items tabled until future meetings.

City approves sending solid waste to Carroll County through 2047

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published July 9, 2025
As the city moves away from its current waste-to-energy system, which burns trash to make electricity, for a new approach that focuses more on recycling and sending leftover waste to landfills, the Ames City Council voted Tuesday to approve a deal to send the city’s solid waste to Carroll County’s landfill from 2027 to 2047.
New walking paths will soon be constructed at Ada Hayden Heritage Park for $1.1 million.

Ames Council awards Ada Hayden paths contract

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published June 25, 2025
The Ames City Council awarded a $1.1 million contract to Caliber Concrete of Adair to reconstruct walking paths at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. The paths, a popular destination for walking and biking, were installed when the park was developed more than 20 years ago.
The Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) gave the Ames City Council an update on the status of homelessness in the city at Ames City Hall on June 24.

Team helps homeless people on Ames streets

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published June 25, 2025

The Ames City Council heard how some become homeless in the community and the challenges they face, such as job searching and finding shelter, from a local outreach group. The group formed in November...

The Iowa State University campanile shown on June 23, 2025.

Tuition hikes, pay raises and a presidential search begins for Iowa State

by Kyle Werner, Reporter
Published June 18, 2025

The Iowa Board of Regents approved a tuition increase and pay raises at its meeting earlier this month. Meeting at the University of Iowa from June 10 to 12, the Regents voted to raise tuition for the...