Good morning Ames! 91-year-old Dale “Grey Beard” Sanders just became the oldest person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. Again. Almost ten years ago, he set the record at 82. His buddy M.J. “Sunny” Eberhart broke it 4 years later at 83. But Sunny (currently 87) said on a podcast last month that he’d take the record back if Grey Beard succeeded. Better get training, Sunny!

Lets do it.

— Chance

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ISU Is Turning Its Dairy Farm Into a Walking Science Lab

Iowa State University just landed nearly $1 million from the EPA to build out a Watershed Innovation Farm on ISU's dairy farm property that anyone can walk through and learn from. The project, developed in partnership with Iowa Learning Farms, will feature wetlands, bioreactors, saturated buffers, grassed waterways, and woodland management areas. What makes it different from other research farms is the public access. Trails and detailed signage will guide visitors through the site, with illustrations and QR codes explaining what each practice does and why it matters.

Iowa Learning Farms Director Jacqueline Comito put it plainly: the goal is that visitors can understand what's going on without needing someone to explain it to them. Farmers, students, lawmakers, and curious Ames residents are all welcome.

Many of these water quality practices were actually developed at Iowa State to begin with. Now there will be one place in Ames where you can see how they all work together. Worth a visit when the trails open. (more)

Ames Schools Are Focused on Four Things This Year

The Ames School Board laid out its priorities for the 2026-2027 school year at its monthly work session, zeroing in on four goal areas: attendance, academic achievement, school climate, and future readiness.

Attendance is the first focus. The district wants to reduce the number of students flagged as chronically absent, tackling the issue through mental health support and better tools for teachers to identify students who are struggling before absences pile up.

Academic achievement means measurable growth on district and state assessments. The plan involves stronger professional learning communities, more staff training, and a closer look at Tier One instruction.

Education climate is about how students feel at school. The board wants more students reporting positive experiences in the Conditions of Learning Survey.

Future readiness plan includes identifying employable skills, building connections with local businesses, exposing students to various career paths, and tracking those experiences over time. (more)

Rummage RAMPage's 10th Year Was a Big One

The numbers are in from this summer's Rummage RAMPage, and the 10th annual event delivered. The nine-day community rummage sale raised $70,019 for 52 local non-profit organizations and kept 138,487 pounds of furniture and housewares out of the landfill. A slight influx from last year's 127,994 pounds.

Over its entire ten-year run, Rummage RAMPage has diverted more than 1.1 million pounds of material from the landfill and raised over $427,000 for area nonprofits. (more)

Want to Help Shape Ames' Data Center Decision?

The data center debate in Ames just took a concrete next step. The city council voted Tuesday to formally establish the resident data center study committee. The committee will focus specifically on three things: how much heat data centers generate and whether that raises temperatures in surrounding neighborhoods, how construction and operation might affect local wildlife and habitats, and what the potential human health impacts look like.

Members will search for published, trustworthy research from multiple perspectives and summarize what they find for the council. All meetings will be open to the public. City staff won't sit on the committee or participate in its discussions. Members must have actual expertise in a relevant field.

Applications are open now through September 9 here. The council subcommittee selects members by September 13, full council approval follows September 15, and the first meeting happens by September 30. The committee's finished report goes to the council by February 28, with an in-person presentation March 13. (more)

Teacher's Night @ Dog-Eared Books - Teachers get 30% off store-wide, plus drinks, snacks, and giveaways all evening. 5-8pm

Tiny Deck Concert Featuring Central Iowa Jazz Trio @ Wheatsfield Co-op - Trombone, sax, and guitar close out the 2026 Tiny Deck season with jazz, swing, Latin, and pop tunes. 6-7:30pm

🎸Cedar County Cobras w/ Tom Pevear @ Alluvial Brewing - 7pm

Movie Night at Bandshell Park @ Bandshell Park - Ames Parks and Rec's annual outdoor movie night screens the 1995 classic "Casper," with popcorn and water while supplies last. 8:15pm

Cyclone football vs. Southeast Missouri @ Jack Trice Stadium - Cyclone football kicks off its home schedule.

Ames Main Street Farmers' Market @ Downtown Ames - Face painting from Joyful Colorz and music from Doomed Pioneers. 8am-12:30pm

Run for Ukraine Ames 5K @ Ada Hayden Heritage Park - A community charity run with proceeds supporting medical supplies and relief efforts in Ukraine. 8:30-10am

Sunday Music Series @ Prairie Moon - Stranger Than Fiction takes the vineyard stage for wine, pizza, and live music. 3-6pm

Thanks for reading this weeks scoop. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who has thru-hiked or section-hiked the Appalachian Trail.

See you next week.