Your Ames Voice

Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026

August 20, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

Happy Thursday!

Welcome back to our Iowa State readers 😊. I hope move-in week is as stress-free as possible.

Thank you all for taking the time to complete our survey last week; we’re reviewing your input and developing a plan to integrate it into our content going forward.

Our top story this week features Ames Middle School students’ trip to Koshu, Japan, and how they navigated unfamiliar terrain and built meaningful connections.

Also in this newsletter: The city is hosting a Solar Showdown event that includes a tour of the solar farm, trivia and games. The new Gilbert Elementary school is ready for the school year and Ames is protecting its water from cyberattacks.

In sports, the Cyclone Soccer team opened its season with a victory, and Community Voices profiles the Jordan Family Wildlife Area.

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Thank you for your continued support,

 
Amber Mohmand, News Editor
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Top Story

The view an Ames student had outside of their host-home during their trip to Koshu, Japan, Ames’ sister city. (Photo: Lillian Hansen)

by Kate Laffey

Katrina Williams watched Ames Middle School students step outside their comfort zones during their trip to Koshu, Japan, as they navigated unfamiliar terrain and built meaningful connections. For Williams, a mathematics teacher and group leader on the trip, those experiences showed the lasting impact travel abroad can have on young students.

This isn’t Williams’ first trip to Japan. Over the years traveling with Ames Middle School, the itineraries have evolved. In 2024, Tokyo was a central part of the trip, and Williams advocated that this year be a balance so students can see both big cities and less urban areas of Japan. In doing so, students were able to form close connections with their host families in Koshu.

“I can tell you about the formidable relationships that were happening in the valley of Koshu City, because that’s where the community was,” Williams said.

News

City of Ames
by Artemis Tack

Ames families can learn about solar energy production and see how it works first-hand during a guided tour of the city’s 10-acre solar farm.

 

More from News

📚 The new Gilbert Elementary is ready just in time for the 2026 school year. There will be an open house on Friday.
🔐 Ames’ water system has safety measures in place in case of cyberattacks.

 

Civic Calendar

Tue: Board of Supervisors — 10 a.m., Administration Building (Nevada)
Tue: Ames City Council — 6 p.m., Council Chambers, Ames City Hall
Tue: Mary Greeley Medical Center Board of Trustees — noon, Atrium A, 1111 Duff Ave.
Wed: Zoning Board of Adjustment — 6 p.m., Council Chambers, Ames City Hall
Thu: Civil Service Commission — 8:15 a.m., Council Chambers, Ames City Hall
Thu: Ames Human Relations Commission — 5:30 p.m., Room 235, Ames City Hall

 

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Arts & Entertainment

Lecture
by Anthony Capps

In 1878, the railroad breathed life into Gilbert, the city located just north of Ames. Local historian Dave Baker will speak on the people, places and stories that comprise the community’s history this weekend.

Sports

Soccer
by Jared Larson

It was an active Sunday evening at the Cyclone Soccer Complex as Iowa State (2-0-0, 0-0 Big 12) dominated Kansas City (0-1-0, 0-0 Summit) by a score of 4-0.

 

More from Sports

🏁 From football to NASCAR, JaQuan Bailey is embracing a new kind of pressure.

Community Voices

Story County Conservation
by Jim Colbert

The Ronald “Dick” Jordan Family Wildlife Area is just a short distance south of Ames. Drive past the Mucky Duck Pub and continue south out of Ames on Highway 69.

 

More from Community Voices

🌟 Ames teacher Kate Mitchell left a lasting mark on generations of students.

In Other News

🚔 An Ames officer was injured after a vehicle crashed into a patrol car on I-35. (WHO 13)
🌪️ The Cyclones are back as Iowa State students move in for the fall. (Ames Tribune)
🛍️ Two vintage pop-ups are coming to Ames as students return to campus. (Iowa State Daily)
⛪ Cornerstone Church is working to revive rural churches across Iowa. (Des Moines Register)

 

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