Your Ames Voice

Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026

January 08, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Happy Thursday!

This is our 28th weekly newsletter and our first of 2026. This week, we have a story about the health care worker shortage in Iowa, how it impacts Ames and what’s being done about it.

There's also coverage of the latest games from both the Cyclone men's and women's basketball teams. Spoiler: Both won.

Thank you for your continued support,


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

 

 

Top Story

Rural America is home to a fifth of Americans and more than a third of Iowans, and it has half as many doctors as urban areas per population. | Illustration by Ames Voice

Iowans look for solutions to critical shortage of health care workers

by Michael Kitchell | Staff Reporter | Published on Jan. 7, 2026

Iowa has a critical shortage of all health care workers, and it’s straining the state’s entire care system, from hospitals to nursing homes. It could also be impacting your health, especially if you’re in a rural area.

For Ames residents, the shortage makes it more challenging to find a primary care provider or see a specialist — leading to a negative impact on their health and longevity.

The shortages are especially prevalent in rural communities. Rural America – home to a fifth of Americans and more than a third of Iowans – has half as many doctors as urban areas per population. Studies have shown this chronic rural shortage of physicians has resulted in a 40% higher preventable hospitalization rate and a 23% higher mortality rate for rural Americans.

 

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City of Ames

Healthcare

Ames hospice house: Sadness, compassion and thanks for end-of-life care

by Michael Kitchell | Staff Reporter

Every patient has different conditions that bring them to hospice care, whether for a few days or many months.

 

More from City of Ames

Sports

Men’s Basketball

Jefferson notches triple-double in win over West Virginia

by Jared Larson | Staff Reporter

The record books inside Hilton Coliseum don’t open often for triple-doubles. When they do, the moment usually belongs to a player who bends the game to his will. On Friday night, that player was Joshua Jefferson.

 

More from Sports

In Other News

Events & Activities

 

Ongoing

🎥 Labyrinth, 40th Anniversary
7 p.m. Thursday to Sunday; 4:30 p.m. Sunday | Movies 12
Teenage Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) journeys through a maze to save her baby brother from the Goblin King (David Bowie) in this classic '80s film directed by Jim Henson.
$11.50

Saturday, Jan. 10

Kelli Rae Powell, the “tiny ukulele-wielding, red-headed stepchild of Billie Holiday and Johnny Cash,” delivers the kind of consistently literate lyrics that once prompted Tommy Ramone to call her a poet. Ben Schrag & the Cautionaries are a four-piece acoustic band from Ames. Schrag’s songwriting has received national awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
$5
 
🏀 Men's Basketball: Iowa State vs. Oklahoma State
3 p.m. | Hilton Coliseum
The Cyclones take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys. If you can't score tickets to the game, it will be televised on ESPN 2.

Sunday, Jan. 11

The Cyclones face the West Virginia Mountaineers. If you can't score tickets to the game, it will be televised on ESPN+.
$22+

Monday, Jan. 12

📖 Author Visit: Lindsay Currie
6 p.m. | Ames Public Library
Come to the library to meet New York Times bestselling author Lindsay Currie, who writes mysteries for young readers like X Marks the Haunt and It Found Us, one of this year’s selections for the Ames Battle of the Books.
FREE

Wednesday, Jan. 14

🚶 Art Walk: C.Y. Stephens Auditorium
3:10 p.m. | Stephens Auditorium
Stephens Auditorium isn’t just for concerts and Broadway shows — it’s home to stunning visual art, too! Join University Museums for a guided tour to discover its creative treasures, including a special look at the shimmering Silver Code stage curtain. Experience the artistry that unfolds long before the curtain rises and learn how visual and performing arts take center stage within this iconic architectural landmark.
FREE

Other Events on Our Radar

🎭 Jan. 18: Coop, KHOI Studio, 622 Douglas Ave.
🎶 Jan. 24: Delirium Musicum, Stephens Auditorium
🎭 Jan. 29-Feb. 8: Making God Laugh, Ames Community Theater
🎭 Feb. 4: Mrs. Doubtfire, Stephens Auditorium