Good morning Ames!  Did you know horsepower was a marketing unit created in the late 18th century to sell steam engines? It measured how many horses one steam engine could replace. Funny enough, James Watt (for whom the standard unit of power is named) is the one who invented it.

Lets do it.

— Chance

Kenny Chesney Is Coming to Jack Trice

I guess you could say the concert era at Jack Trice is officially underway.

Kenny Chesney announced his "The Original Vibe Room Tour" this week, and Ames is on the list. The show is scheduled for Saturday, June 5, 2027 at Jack Trice Stadium.

Ticket details haven't dropped yet so stay tuned to for updates. June 2027 feels far away but these will move quickly once they go on sale. We will announce when it happens… as long as I get my two tickets first!

Ames Airport Just Landed $7.8 Million…. Get it?

The Ames City Council held a special meeting Monday to approve a $7.8 million federal grant for the major runway rebuild at James Herman Banning Ames Municipal Airport. The FAA sent the agreement Friday and required it back by Wednesday. Miss the deadline, lose the money.

This is the first of two expected FAA grants needed to fund the full $19.1 million runway reconstruction project, which was awarded to Flynn Company Inc. out of Dubuque back in July. The project is being done in stages: work on the first phase can now begin without shutting the airport down. A second grant expected in April 2027 would unlock phase two, which does require a runway closure for several months.

So the short version: planes keep flying for now, the rebuild is officially underway, and Ames is halfway to fully funding one of the bigger infrastructure projects the airport has seen in years.

Ames Is Racing to Lock In Tax Tools Before January 1

The city is moving fast on a financial strategy that affects how Ames pays for roads, sewers, housing, and economic development for years to come.

The Ames City Council approved plans this week to create new and expanded Urban Renewal Areas across town, all before a new state law takes full effect on January 1, 2027. The law (Senate File 2472) limits how much revenue cities can collect through property tax growth, and Ames is working to lock in alternative funding tools before that door closes.

The main tool is Tax Increment Financing, or TIF. When development happens inside an Urban Renewal Area, the extra property tax revenue generated gets captured and reinvested into public projects instead of flowing into the general tax pool. It's how cities fund big improvements without asking taxpayers to foot the entire bill upfront.

The city's four-part plan covers a lot of ground. First, expanding existing urban renewal boundaries to keep TIF money flowing for projects already in the five-year capital improvement plan. Second, updating the Campustown and downtown renewal areas to adapt to the new state law. Third, creating two new economic development districts — one near the east industrial area and one near East 13th Street. Fourth, setting up TIF support for housing development tied to projects like rebuilding Scholl Road and extending Stange Road.

🎁 Golden Ridge Lighting is giving one lucky homeowner $1,000 toward a professional Christmas light installation! They specialize in creating custom, professionally installed Christmas displays. You can skip the ladders, tangled lights, and hours of work and just enjoy the finished product.

Everyone who enters the giveaway will receive $150 OFF their Christmas light installation if they don’t win. That means there’s something in it for everyone. Good luck! 🎄✨

Music Walk @ Downtown Ames - A free, family-friendly stroll through downtown pairing local businesses with local musicians for one big evening showcase. 5-8pm

🎸Matt Woods @ London Underground - 7pm

Come From Away @ ACTORS - The acclaimed Broadway musical about 7,000 stranded travelers and the small Newfoundland town that took them in returns for its second weekend, marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11. 7:30pm continues through Sunday

Day Out with Thomas @ Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad - Ride behind the real Thomas the Tank Engine, meet Sir Topham Hatt, and hit the Imagination Station. A weekend-long rite of passage for train-obsessed kids. 12-5pm, continues through Sunday.

Flicks & Food Trucks @ The Parc - The season's last outdoor movie night brings a screening of the original "Ghostbusters," a replica ECTO-1 photo op, and food trucks slinging dinner and dessert. Food trucks open at 7pm, movie starts at 7:45pm

🎸Crunch Brothers @ Alluvial Brewing - 7pm

🎸Gizzae @ Maintenance Shop - 8pm

Cyclone football vs. Bowling Green @ Jack Trice Stadium - Cyclone football's second home game of the season.

Ames Main Street Farmers' Market @ Downtown Ames - The Ames Bookmobile makes an appearance alongside the usual vendor lineup. 8am-12:30pm

Day Out with Thomas @ Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad - Rides continue, 9am-5pm

Wheels & Wings Bike Ride @ Slater, IA Trailhead - A monarch-themed 21-mile ride along the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail through Slater, Huxley, Cambridge, Maxwell, and Collins, with themed stops and snacks along the way. 8am-2pm, (registration) required.  

Come From Away @ ACTORS - 7:30pm

Day Out with Thomas @ Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad - Last day of rides, 10am-4pm

Come From Away @ ACTORS - Closing performance. 2pm

Thanks for reading this weeks scoop. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who still writes checks at the grocery store and holds up the whole line. Honestly, I respect it. And I know Dave Ramsey respects it.

See you next week.