Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How did Ames High’s home opener slip out of reach?
And check out Roach Motel Zine Club — Kristin M Roach on the Ames Patch calendar
Hi Ames! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How did Ames High's home opener slip out of reach?
- Did you know Ames airport honors a groundbreaking Black aviator?
- How an Ames-based co-op is seeking new industrial water rights
Also on today's calendar: Loft Reserved.
And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Michael M.!
Today's riddle: Where do math teachers go on vacation? 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
Today's Ames Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. After investing billions to light up their network from big cities to small towns, T-Mobile is America's Best Mobile Network in the US according to Ookla Speedtest®. Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 1H 2026. We thank T-Mobile for their support in helping to keep communities like ours connected and for making today's Ames Patch AM possible.
Find a T-Mobile store near Ames. 
- Saturday: Humid with near record heat, with a high of 93 and low of 70 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
- Sunday: Not as hot with a t-storm, temps: high: 84, low: 67.
- Monday: Humid with clouds and sun, with a high of 85 and low of 68 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Rinnan's 4 TDs push Urbandale to Iowa high school football win over Ames (amestrib.com) — Ames High's Little Cyclones fell 41-6 at home to Urbandale, dropping their record to 1-1 after a tough night containing quarterback Landon Rinnan's four touchdowns. Despite the lopsided score, Ames showed flashes with a long, clock-chewing scoring drive and strong running from sophomore Braylen Chambers before turnovers and field position swung momentum away. 
2. Airports Named After Black Icons You Should Know (praisebaltimore.com) — Ames readers might be surprised to learn that their own Ames Municipal Airport honors pioneering Black aviator James Herman Banning, the first African American licensed by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The piece spotlights several U.S. airports named for Black icons, briefly sharing each person's historical impact and why their names were chosen for these busy travel hubs.
3. Water use permits for review, published 09/03/2026 (iowadnr.gov) — An Ames-based Landus Cooperative office is listed in a new Iowa DNR notice about a proposed industrial water use permit for its Carroll County operations, with public comments accepted through Sept. 29. Residents can review the permit details online and submit feedback by email or mail as the state evaluates how much groundwater the company may withdraw each year.
4. You Should Try a Gravel Garden (dwell.com) — Ames gets a shout-out as writer Ana McCracken's prairie-inspired gravel garden, built around her rustic farmhouse-style home, is featured as a model for low-maintenance, drought-tolerant landscaping. The article explains how gravel gardens work, where they thrive, and how homeowners anywhere can adapt the technique to match different house styles, small yards, and pollinator-friendly native plantings.
5. Researchers use data and AI to design next-generation organic electronic materials (eurekalert.org subscription) — Researchers based at Iowa State University in Ames are using data and AI to design new organic electronic materials that could power future wearable sensors and biomedical devices. Led by professor Wenjie Xia with partners at MIT and other universities, the project aims to link molecular structure to device performance, potentially making flexible, low-cost bioelectronics more effective and widely available.
📸 Around Ames
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
NEW: Like a shout-out or pic? Click the heart!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Ames
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Roach Motel Zine Club — Kristin M Roach →
Kristin M Roach Art, 138 Main St, Ames
4:00 pm
Friday September 11
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Alliance Discussion Gathering →
Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Ave, Ames
11:00 am - Loft Reserved →
Dog·Eared Books, 203 Main St, Ames
9:00 am
Saturday September 12
Tuesday September 15
🗓 Events Nearby
- Mini Golf at the Library - Labor Day event
Madrid Library, 100 West 3rd St., Madrid
10:00 am - Stranger Than Fiction Ames: Prairie Moon Winery →
Prairie Moon Winery, 3801 W 190th St, Ames
3:00 pm - Football: Newton vs North Polk (Freshman)
Central Elementary School North Polk High School Stadium - Comet Field
4:30 pm - Football: Newton vs North Polk (Junior Varsity)
Central Elementary School North Polk High School Stadium - Comet Field
6:30 pm - City Council Meeting →
Gilbert, IA Calendar, 105 SE 2ND STREET, Gilbert
6:30 pm - Girls Tennis: Ames vs Norwalk (Varsity)
Roland-Story Comm School District Norwalk Middle School Tennis Courts
4:00 pm - Girls Swimming & Diving: Valley vs Ankeny (JV)
Central Elementary School Trail Point Aquatics & Wellness
5:00 pm - TUNES IN THE TREES →
Iowa Arboretum & Gardens, 1875 Peach Ave, Madrid
5:00 pm - Volleyball: North Polk vs Winterset (JV 1)
Middle School Winterset High School Competition Gym
5:00 pm
Saturday September 5
Sunday September 6
Monday September 7
Tuesday September 8
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Hello, neighbors!
My name is Sheila, and I'm a commissioned Notary Public serving the Ames area. I'm available to assist with notarizing documents in a friendly,… (Nextdoor Sunset Ridge)
- HealthMarkets posted a job opening for Insurance Agent in Ames. Apply here.
- Maurices posted a job opening for Retail Assistant Manager - Part-Time in Ames. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Ames here.
Ok Ames! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Times Square (Thank you Jean K. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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