Good morning Ames! Country singer Eric Church just delivered the graduation speech of the year. Maybe the decade. He compared the six strings of a guitar to faith, family, love and partnership, ambition vs. resilience, community, and individuality. Well worth the 18-minute watch.

In today’s scoop:

Lets get started.

— Chance

Memorial Day in Ames

A parade kicks off at 10:15am starting at City Hall, 515 Clark Ave., heading north on Clark Avenue and east on Ninth Street to the Ames Municipal Cemetery. If you'd like to walk or ride in the parade (especially veterans) show up to the west parking lot at City Hall by 9:45am.

A Memorial Day program follows at 11am at the cemetery, featuring Colonel Reggie Richardson as the keynote speaker. Can't make it in person? It'll be streamed live at AmesPatrioticCouncil.org and on their Facebook page. Rain moves the program indoors to the City Hall Auditorium.

A few things to know for the day:

City Hall, most city departments, the Community Center Gym, ISU Ice Arena, and Ames Public Library are all closed. The Resource Recovery Plant is closed too. CyRide will not be running.

The Best Story You'll Read This Week: Meet Honey

On Christmas Eve, a dog named Honey was hit by a car in Des Moines. She arrived at Iowa State University's Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center with fractures across her skull, fractures in her sinuses, and serious brain trauma. Her owner (a man experiencing homelessness who loved her deeply) couldn't afford her care. He surrendered her so she could live.

The Lloyd Vet Med team got to work immediately. Students, residents, veterinary technicians, and doctors spent months stabilizing Honey, repairing what they could, and managing her brain trauma. Critter Crusaders of Cedar Rapids stepped in to fund her care by raising over $27,000 so far. A foster mom named Laura Bradner took her in and has been bringing her back to the medical center five days a week for rehabilitation.

Last week, Honey crashed the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine commencement ceremony to watch the students who helped save her life officially become doctors. By all accounts the room lost it completely. (source)

Schainker Plaza Update: Almost There

We know, we know. You've been staring at that chain-link fence for a year and a half. Here's the latest.

The city gave a detailed progress report at the May 19th council meeting, and the news is cautiously optimistic. Most of the minor punch list repairs are expected to wrap up by May 22nd. One chipped concrete panel is scheduled for repair in mid-June, a small fix that's apparently holding things up more than anyone would like.

The plaza will not open until the city receives a state operating permit. No permit, no opening. The council chose a flexible timeline approach to make sure everything meets safety and design standards before the public gets access. When it does open, temporary benches will be out and the plaza will be lit for evening use with standard park hours; closing at 10:30pm. The ice rink replacement is a fall project, so that piece won't be ready at opening either.

The fence's days are definitely numbered, just not quite yet.

A New Apartment Building Possibility

The Ames City Council advanced a proposal this week for City Light Apartments. A four-story, 38-unit building planned for a site off Burnett Avenue currently used as a parking lot leased by the U.S. Postal Service.

The project aligns with the Downtown Ames: A Guiding Vision plan, which has long pushed for more residential density in the heart of the city. Not everyone is on board without questions though. The council flagged concerns about parking: specifically what happens to the post office and nearby neighborhoods if that lot disappears. Those details are still being worked out. (source)

A New Animal Shelter

The Ames City Council confirmed that the project has enough funding to complete design work and head into construction. The total price tag is about $7.37 million, funded through a combination of city funds, capital improvement money, and private donations. This includes a $3 million anonymous gift and another $1.5 million raised through community fundraising. The extra $179,000 added late in the design process for improved dog areas? Donors covered that too.

The new facility will be located at 2715 Dayton Ave., a former daycare building the city purchased for $1.1 million. Featuring a brand new 1,700-square-foot addition dedicated specifically to dog spaces, plus outdoor runs connected directly to indoor holding areas.

Construction documents wrap up in June, bidding runs July and August, and construction could start this summer with completion expected in spring 2027. (source)

Wayne Larson Classic Car Roll-In @ North Grand Mall - Celebrating 21 years and heading to a new home. Same beloved tradition, same great cars, same community feel, just a fresh spot to show it all off. Whether you're rolling in a classic or just rolling up to look, come be part of something that's been bringing Ames together for two decades. 5-8pm (info)  

Thursday Night Trucks @ The Parc - Jana's Snack Shack and Loaded Food Truck; two great options and zero reasons to cook dinner. 6-8pm (info)  

🎸Matt Woods @ London Underground - 7-9pm

🎸Cory Waller & The Wicked Things with Molly Brandt @ Alluvial Brewing - 7pm

🎸Fezzik w/Tom Russell @ Mary Jane’s - 9pm 

Food Truck Friday @ The Parc - Make sure your weekend starts on the sweetest note possible. Show up, treat yourself, and call it a very good Friday. 6-8pm (info)   

🎸Craig Swalwell Band @ Mucky Duck Pub - 7pm

Karaoke @ Mary Jane’s - The mic is waiting, and the only question is what you're opening with. 9pm (info)

Sam’s Summer Tournament Series @ Sam’s Place - A full day of competitive pool: $25 entry, cash payouts, double elimination, and side pots for the truly ambitious. 11am (info)  

The Ames Farmers Market - Boone Fiddler providing the soundtrack, Joyful Colorz and the Ames Bookmobile adding some extra fun, and all your favorite local vendors doing what they do best. Make a morning of it! 8am - 12:30pm

Thanks for reading this weeks scoop. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who teaches pilates on Monday nights.

See you next week.