Your Ames Voice

Thursday, September 18, 2025

September 18, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Welcome to your weekly dose of Ames news!

This week, we highlight a local artist's journey to opening her own ceramics studio, thanks to the CYstarter program. We also have the latest on a major Ames fire station bond issue on the November ballot and big news from Iowa State, as the university celebrates its largest fall enrollment in five years.

Additionally, the Iowa Board of Regents has voted to launch investigations into university employees' social media posts regarding the death of Charlie Kirk.

You’ll also find details on upcoming community events, from the Pufferbilly Days festival to the Ames Psychic & Paranormal Expo.


Editors: Anthony Capps & Amber Mohmand
[email protected]

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Top Story

Sam Morrow, left, is an artist and teacher at Clay-Mations Studio. | Photo courtesy of Sam Morrow

Local ceramics studio gets start thanks to CYstarter program

by Kyle Werner | Staff Reporter | Published on Sept. 18, 2025

Sam Morrow has always loved the arts.

Art was a way to entertain herself when she was younger and, as she grew older, she found a passion for creativity, finding her niche in ceramics and watercolor.

“Both are fixing things,” Morrow told the Voice while she took a break from setting up her new studio, Clay-Mations, at her brick-and-mortar location at 207 Stanton Ave.

“I’ve always liked to fix things. Watercolor, you mess up, you just kind of fix it. Ceramics, you fix it.”

Morrow, who is 24 and originally from Waukee, began her journey at Iowa State in 2019 because she was drawn to the slogan “choose your adventure” — so she did.

 

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City of Ames

$10.5 million Ames fire station bond issue on November ballot

by Bill Monroe | Staff Reporter

Ames residents will vote in November on spending up to $10.5 million to build a new fire station for the city’s west side. The city wants to replace Fire Station No. 2 with a bigger station on land at 601 State Ave. that Iowa State University will let the city use for free.

 

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Iowa State University

Board of Regents: Universities to launch investigations into social media posts about Charlie Kirk’s death

by Kyle Werner | Staff Reporter

After an hours-long closed discussion by the Iowa Board of Regents, it was unanimously decided to move forward with an investigation into social media posts made by university employees about Charlie Kirk and his assassination on Sept. 10.

Celebrating 100 years of the ISU campus library

by Kyle Werner | Staff Reporter

A century ago, Iowa State University’s Parks Library was “the finest piece of architecture in the state,” said Raymond A. Pearson, the university’s president, when the cornerstone of the library was laid in October 1923.

ISU fall enrollment grows by nearly 700 students

by Anthony Capps | Editor

Iowa State University has recorded its largest fall enrollment in five years and its third year of consecutive growth. Enrollment numbers for this fall semester, announced Thursday, increased by 673 students from last fall for a total of 31,105, about a 2.2% rise.

 

More from Iowa State University

Arts & Entertainment

ACTORS opens season with laughs, family ties

by Anthony Capps | Editor

Ames Community Theater is starting off its season celebrating family. The local theater company's production of the 1936 comedy You Can't Take It with You begins Thursday and continues for two weekends.

 

More from Arts & Entertainment

Events and Activities

Continuing

🔮 Ames Psychic & Paranormal Expo
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday | Quality Inn & Suites, Ames
More than 40 vendors covering psychics, mediums, paranormal teams, haunted locations, healings, reflexology, gems, tarot cards, candles, books and more. There will also be speakers and presentations.
$5 per day

 

🚂 Pufferbilly Days
Friday, Saturday and Sunday | Boone
Boone’s annual festival returns this weekend with events such as a parade, car show, petting zoo, art sale, train show, karaoke, live music and more.

 

🎭 You Can't Take It with You
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday | Ames Community Theater
The community theater organization opens its 70th season with the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy You Can’t Take It with You. It follows the free-wheeling Sycamore family who have no regard for social norms. However, their world clashes with the straight-laced Kirby family when daughter Alice falls in love with Kirby son Tony.
$20+, tickets available online and at the Octagon Shop, 427 Douglas Ave.

Thursday, Sept. 18

🎤 Music Walk
5 to 8 p.m. | Downtown Ames 
The annual Music Walk is a family-friendly event showcasing downtown businesses and local musicians. More than 30 businesses and organizations as well as bands and musicians are involved this year.

 

👨‍🏫 Lecture: Our Obsession with Murder: Why True Crime Is So Popular
6 p.m. | ISU Memorial Union, Sun Room
Matt DeLisi, forensic consultant and ISU distinguished professor of sociology and criminal justice, takes a look at why there’s so much intense public interest in crime, criminal offenders, and the criminal justice system and why true crime is also one that serves important intellectual, sociological and political functions.
Free

Friday, Sept. 19

🖼️ University Museums' 50th Anniversary Celebration 
7 to 9 p.m. | Brunnier Art Museum
A program celebrating University Museums’ 50th anniversary. It’s business casual or dress in your 1975 threads —  inspired by Brunnier Art Museum’s opening day. Enjoy passed small bites and a card bar with wine, beer and soda.
Free

Saturday, Sept. 20

📚 Author Fair 
2 to 5 p.m. | Ames Public Library
Meet Iowa authors, purchase their books or have your copy signed, and check out some local publishers and literary organizations.
Free

Wednesday, Sept. 24

🍽️ ISU Local Food Festival
9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Central Campus
The festival features educational displays, locally grown and produced products for sale by local vendors and ISU clubs and samples.

Upcoming events on our radar

Sept. 25: 😂 Preacher Lawson, Stephens Auditorium
Sept. 28: 🖼️ Octagon Art Festival, downtown Ames
Oct. 3: 🏈 Homecoming: Ames High vs. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln, Ames High School
Oct. 3 & 4: 🎭 Julius Caesar, Fisher Theater
Oct. 4: 🦸‍♀️ AniAmes, Gateway Hotel & Conference Center
Oct. 11: 🌈 Ames Pridefest, 5th Street & Douglas Avenue