Your Ames Voice

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

January 29, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Happy Thursday!

In today’s newsletter, we recount the harrowing and miraculous 1975 rescue of a young man trapped in a grain auger, whose life was saved by an extraordinary field amputation performed in the heart of a dusty corn pit.

We also have an update from the Ames City Council and how it plans to enforce its gender identity protections. The council also approved preliminary plans for the $25.6 million recycling and waste facility. Speaking of money, the Ames School Board also began preparations to discuss its 2027 fiscal year budget.

If you missed last weekend’s Cyclone basketball games, we have you covered — the women defeated Arizona and the men defeated Oklahoma State.

Finally, here is your last reminder to submit a name for our Tuesday calendar of events newsletter. Email us at [email protected].

 
Co-Editors: Anthony Capps & Amber Mohmand
[email protected]

Top Story

The Zearing grain elevator where the auger accident happened in October 1975. This photo was taken in 2019, and the elevator was destroyed in the 2020 derecho. | Photo by Tom McLaughlin via Flickr

A Legacy of Care: The team who gave a trapped man 47 more years of life

by Michael Kitchell | Staff Reporter | Published on Jan. 28, 2026

Local paramedics had no idea what they would encounter on Oct. 22, 1975. What they witnessed would be burned into their memory forever.

Emergency medical technicians James Hart and Dennis Sampson responded to a call at 4:30 p.m. that day — a Wednesday — when the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Story County ambulance requested help extricating a 22-year-old man whose leg was trapped in a grain auger.

Hart, who had worked at Mary Greeley Medical Center for 10 months, and Sampson, a former Vietnam War medic, quickly pulled out of the hospital to head to the grain elevator in Zearing.

 

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City of Ames

City staff recommend the city investigate only gender identity complaints while continuing to send other discrimination cases to the state. (Photo: Marek Studzinski via Unsplash)

City Council

Ames will oversee gender identity complaints

by Bill Monroe | Staff Reporter

City officials on Tuesday asked the council for guidance on three key issues before drafting the ordinance: Who will investigate complaints? What penalties will violators face? And will mediation be offered?

 

More from City of Ames

Sports

Arianna Jackson of Iowa State got a steal and found Jada Williams for an open 3-point basket.

Women’s Basketball

Balanced Cyclone attack leads to 25-point win

by Jared Larson | Staff Reporter

Five Cyclones scoring in double figures and a dominant second quarter lifted Iowa State to a 90-65 victory over Arizona on Saturday afternoon, marking the team’s second straight win.

More from Sports

In Other News

Ames Regional Economic Alliance: Ames Regional Economic Alliance Launches New Documentary Film Festival in 2026
Ames Tribune: Story County reverts to initial plan for new supervisor districts
City of Ames: Ames PD December 2025 monthly report