Your Ames Voice

Thursday, February 12, 2026

February 12, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

In this newsletter, we present our first entry of our new feature: Community Voices. This weekly feature is provided by a wheel of monthly(ish) contributors representing different aspects of Ames and educating on an array of topics. Today's kickoff comes from the Ames History Museum with a profile of the pioneering kindergarten teacher Abbie Sawyer.

Today’s top story highlights the new Ames Warming Place, the city’s first overnight warming center and its opening night, turned nights.

The Ames City Council finalized its goals for the next two years which includes more public outreach to residents, expanding housing options and investing in projects designed to make Ames a more vibrant and healthier place to live. There's also coverage from the Cyclone men’s basketball team’s win against Baylor — which kept all of us on our toes.

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Correction: In Tuesday's Ames, Set, Go! newsletter, we incorrectly listed the upcoming train exhibit at Green Hills. The exhibit, which will include more than 50 modules, takes place on Feb. 21 and 22. We regret the error.

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

Top Story

The Ames Warming Place is located in the basement of First United Methodist Church on Kellogg Avenue. | Photo by Artemis Tack

Ames Warming Place: Giving people a place to sleep during cold winter nights

by Artemis Tack | Staff Reporter | Published on February 11, 2026

For the first time in Ames, the community has a dedicated space where people can find refuge from bitter cold nights.

The Ames Warming Place opened its doors last month and remained in service for 17 consecutive days as extreme cold settled over the city. Located in the basement of First United Methodist Church on Kellogg Avenue, the site opened on Jan. 16, just as temperatures began to drop and the overnight lows were consistently below zero.

“We thought it would be cold for a day or two — we’ll open and we’ll figure out what we’re doing — what went well, what we’re doing wrong and all of that,” Linda Murken, the chair of the Story County Board of Supervisors, told the Ames Voice. “But no, it just kept getting cold, staying cold … And all of a sudden, it was 17 days.”

Prior to the warming place, people without homes had few options when temperatures dropped below freezing.

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City of Ames

City Council

Ames City Council targets housing, engagement and sustainability

by Bill Monroe | Staff Reporter

Housing accessibility, public engagement and environmental sustainability will be the Ames City Council’s priorities through the end of 2027.

Iowa State University

University Museums

Where data meets sculptures: Major glass artist visits Iowa State

by Jessie Knapp | Staff Reporter

An artist whose work examines urban sprawl and land loss due to rising sea levels will speak about his data-infused art process Thursday.

Sports

MBB

No. 7 Iowa State survives Baylor, 72-69

by Jared Larson | Staff Reporter

No. 7 Iowa State built a big enough cushion to withstand a late Baylor surge, holding on for a 72-69 win Saturday despite going scoreless over the final 2:12.

Community Voices

People of Ames

Ames Notables: Abbie Sawyer

by Ames History Museum | Contributed

Abbie Sawyer came to Ames in 1917 and established the first kindergarten classes offered through the public school system.