Good morning Ames! Based on overall consumption & population, the average American eats 70 hot dogs per year. Meanwhile, Joey Chestnut ate almost that many (66) in 10 minutes on Saturday to win his 18th Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. 

Lets do it.

— Chance

Unlimited everything. No contract. Just $25/mo. With Tello, you get reliable 5G coverage, zero hidden fees, and none of the bundles you never wanted.

Build Your Own Tello Plan

Elwood Has a Baby And You Can Name It

Reiman Gardens has been holding out on us. Elwood, the world's largest concrete gnome and Ames' most beloved lawn ornament, is getting a companion.

A 4-foot-tall Baby Gnome is being unveiled at Reiman Gardens tonight at 6:30 p.m. The little guy doesn't have a name yet, and that's where you come in. Starting Friday, July 10, Reiman is hosting a "Gname the Gnome Contest" where visitors can submit name ideas online or in person through July 31. Staff will pick the winner. (more)

The 4th Unplanned

Most of us had cookouts and fireworks on the agenda for July 4th weekend. Mother Nature had other plans. Repeated rounds of slow-moving thunderstorms rolled through central Iowa on July 2nd and 3rd, dropping extraordinary amounts of rain faster than drainage systems could handle. Creeks, rivers, and stormwater systems overflowed. Streets flooded. Emergency crews responded to stranded motorists across Ames as roads became impassable and water levels rose quickly.

The ground was already saturated before the storms hit, which meant runoff had nowhere to go. What started as heavy summer rain turned into flash flooding that disrupted holiday travel and left residents dealing with damage heading into the holiday. (more)

The Data Center Question Is More Complicated Than a Simple No

After hundreds of residents packed the public listening session opposing the LightEdge data center proposal, many walked away asking the same question: if so many people are against it, why can't the council just vote no and be done with it?

The council isn't being asked to approve a data center. It's being asked whether to negotiate a lease for city-owned land near the airport. Rejecting the airport lease doesn't kill the project. LightEdge has also identified private industrial property along Dayton Avenue in northeast Ames as an alternative location.

If the project moves to private property, the city actually loses leverage. A lease on city-owned land gives Ames tools that zoning alone can't provide. On private property, the city can only regulate through zoning and, if the site is inside Ames' municipal electric service territory, through utility agreements. Rejecting the airport lease feels like saying no, but it might just push the project somewhere the city has less control over it. (more)

Summer Sidewalk Sales @ Downtown Ames - Four days, dozens of local businesses, one very good excuse to actually walk downtown instead of just driving through it. Runs through Sunday, so pace yourself. (info)  

Book Sale @ Ames Public Library - Thousands of used books, movies, and music descend on the library for four days straight, because your unread pile clearly wasn't tall enough. 5:30-8:30pm 

Summer Daze at The Parc @ The Parc - Carnival Night wraps up the Summer Daze series with food trucks, a balloon artist, and enough games: giant jenga, giant connect 4, mini bowling and more. 6-8pm

Buffalo Galaxy with Alleygrass @ Alluvial Brewing - 7pm

Ames Midnight Madness @ Downtown Ames - The 55th annual run/walk kicks off the Iowa Games with a course, a t-shirt, and finisher medals for anyone who wasn't around for the first 54. 4-7:30pm, free after-party for spectators. (info)  

Tiny Deck Concert Featuring Bleujack @ Wheatsfield Co-op - Iowa-raised Bleujack blends folk, hip-hop, and guitar shredding into something that's somehow both raspy and charming. 6-7:30pm

The Remedy @ Mucky Duck Pub - 7pm

Ames Main Street Farmers' Market @ Downtown Ames - Face painting, the Bookmobile, live music from Denise Forney, and a Pies Pies Pies cooking contest that we assume is exactly as delicious as it sounds. 8am-12:30pm.

Fourth Annual Thrift and Consignment Crawl @ Throughout Ames - Eight stores, one Saturday, unlimited potential for finding a lamp you didn't know you needed. Hours vary by store.

Mango Soul @ Cornbred BBQ - 6-9pm

Garden Art Fair @ Reiman Gardens - Over 80 vendors, near-peak bloom season, and Hy-Vee selling everything from walking tacos to gourmet popcorn. 9am-3pm

Sunday Music Series @ Prairie Moon - Ryne Doughty plays the vineyard, wine and brick-oven pizza play backup. 3-6pm

Roosevelt Summer Sundays: Jeni Grouws @ Roosevelt Park - The former Avey-Grouws Band vocalist steps out with her own group, towering vocals included. 7-8:30pm

Thanks for reading this weeks scoop. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who reads more than 50 books a year. They’re in the top 4% of all U.S. readers.

See you next week.