Good morning Ames! Sorry if some of you haven’t been receiving the emails.. turns out that my new subscribers weren’t showing up correctly in the software. Anyway, we will just forget that happened. It’s St. Patrick’s Day, which means everyone’s suddenly Irish for 24 hours and green beer is somehow acceptable before noon. Whether you’re celebrating with corned beef or just avoiding people who pinch, hope you have a good one!

In today’s scoop:

Lets get started.

— Chance

Recycling Is Coming

Big changes are headed to Ames trash day. Starting in July, curbside recycling will be mandatory for residents living in units of four families or fewer, tacking $7.75 onto monthly bills.

It's part of a larger shift away from the city's 50-year-old Resource Recovery System. A new facility in East Ames is already in the works, and a natural gas-powered energy plant is planned for the site as well.

For apartment dwellers, the city is looking at drop-off recycling locations around town — though that conversation is still ongoing. One catch: the recycling company will have cameras monitoring containers, and if your recyclables look more like a dumpster situation, you'll be cited. So, no funny business.

The Plaza Is (Finally) Getting There

The Steven L. Schainker Plaza, the project turning the old City Hall parking lot into a four-season outdoor space complete with an ice-skating rink and a splashpad; has been fenced off and under construction since 2024. The culprit? Unevenly laid concrete in the ice-skating rink. Not exactly a quick fix.

But here's the good news: the city held a private meeting on February 27 and made it official. The Schainker Plaza will partially open on May 22.

Not the full grand reveal just yet, but after a year and a half of chain-link, we'll take it. The splashpad and skating rink are going to be a genuinely great addition to downtown and this summer, we might get to use one of them.

Mark your calendars, Ames. The fence's days are numbered.

Ames just got a whole lot more outdoorsy. CrawDaddy Outdoors is opening its doors right here in town, and they're doing it with a proper party.

The Grand Opening is this Friday and Saturday, March 20-21. Show up Friday morning for the ribbon cutting and refreshments at 11am. In-store specials run all day both days, so no need to rush. Well, maybe a little.

Oh, and they're giving away three $100 gift cards. You have to register to win, which means you have to show up, which is honestly just a great excuse to go check the place out.

And there's plenty to check out. Beyond the gear, CrawDaddy is offering adventure trips, classes and clinics, rentals, and more; basically everything you need to convince yourself you're an outdoors person this spring. We believe in you.

Swing by, say hi, and maybe finally invest in that kayak you've been thinking about since 2022. (Details)

Parents, we see you. Spring break is coming, and "I'm bored" is already loading. Good news: the Reiman Gardens has you covered.

Spring Break Camp runs March 16-20 for kids ages 6-10, and each day has its own theme, meaning you can register for just the days that work for your schedule. No all-or-nothing commitment. We love that for everyone involved.

Here's what the week looks like:

Tuesday, March 17 – Garden Engineers. Building, tinkering, problem-solving — and a garden project to bring home. The fridge display space is yours to plan accordingly.

Wednesday, March 18 – Art in Bloom. Flowers and plants as inspiration for a full day of creating. Expect paint-stained sleeves and a very proud little artist at pickup.

Thursday, March 19 – Incredible Insects. Creepy, crawly, and apparently completely amazing. Thursday kids will have opinions about bugs by end of day. Fair warning.

Friday, March 20 – Spring Enchantment. Fairy doors. Signs of spring. Whimsical activities tied to Reiman's upcoming Spring Enchantment event. Honestly sounds like a good Friday for anyone.

Register by the day at reimangardens.com and let the gardens do the heavy lifting this break.

Taylor King @ London Underground | 7PM

Matt Woods @ London Underground | 7PM

Courtney Krause & Meara Rose @ Ames City Auditorium & Durham Bandshell | 7PM

St. Patty’s Day Cookie Decorating @ Great Harvest Bakery | 🕰️7AM-2PM | For just 50¢, your little ones can channel their inner leprechaun and deck out their own St. Patrick's Day cookie with green icing, rainbow sprinkles, and all the fixings. (Details)

Floral Design Workshop @ Reiman Gardens | 🕰️6PM | Local legend Sandy Gossman: State Fair Master Floral Judge, is back with another hands-on floral workshop where you'll get to build something gorgeous using fresh-cut blooms straight from Reiman Gardens. (Details) 

Game Night @ Octagon Center | 🕰️5:30-8:30PM | All ages are welcome until 7:00 PM (adults get the place to themselves after that). Bring your favorite game or borrow one of theirs, grab a snack, and call it a very respectable Thursday night out. (Details)  

Trivia Night @ Torrent Brewing Company | 🕰️7-9PM | Free trivia and cold drinks. Trivia night is basically a no-brainer (pun intended). Round up your team or fly solo across five rounds for a shot at prizes, and finally put all that useless knowledge to good use. (Details)

Community Night Run/Walk @ Fitness Sports | 🕰️6:15-7PM | Every Thursday is your excuse to lace up and get moving with a no-pressure group run/walk that's open to everyone. And on the third Thursday of each month, the crew heads to Torrent Brewing after, because nothing tops a good run like a well-earned round. (Details)

Sip & Stitch @ Praire Rose Needleworks | 🕰️4-6PM | Grab your drink of choice and pull up a chair for a laid-back evening of needlework with good company; no stress, no agenda, just stitches and vibes. Honestly, it might be the most relaxing two hours of your entire week. (Details)

Cue The Bass @ Sam’s Place | 🕰️8PM | Cue the Bass brings a full-blown mini EDM festival to Sam's Place every third weekend of the month. Come for the bass, stay for the "wild and lovely chaos". (Details) 

Back Alley Bingo @ Daisy’s Drinks & Dogs | 🕰️8PM | Vanessa Taylor is hosting what might be Ames' most entertainingly questionable bingo night over at Daisy's. Bingo is free to play. (Details)

Terrarium Workshop @ Life Distilled |🕰️11AM-12PM | Learn to build your own mini living landscape through the workshop that walks you through every step from layering the base to styling it like the plant person you've always wanted to be. It's low-maintenance décor you actually made yourself, which means you get to brag about it every single time someone compliments your apartment. (Details)

Quilt Show @ Reiman Gardens | 🕰️9AM-5PM | The annual garden-themed quilt show is back with free lectures, demos, make-and-takes, and a Saturday workshop. (Details)

Thanks for reading this weeks scoop. If you found something interesting, share this with someone who loves a good bet.

See you next week,

Chance