February Facets 2020

FACETS

FEBRUARY 2020

The magazine for women.

Simply Mae’s moves More than $47,000 raised for ACSD school meal debt

Farrar schoolhouse appears on Travel Channel

FACETS 2 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

The magazine for women.

Contributors

KATIE MAUCH KYLEE MULLEN KILEY WELLENDORF RONNA FAABORG Design

ADVERTISERS To advertise in Facets magazine, contact Mary Beth Scott at (515) 663-6951 PHONE (515) 663-6923

CHELSEA PARKS

ADDRESS 317 Fifth St. Ames, IA, 50010

Tribune Editor

EMAIL news@amestrib.com

MICHAEL CRUMB

ONLINE www.amestrib.com/sections/ special-sections/facets Facets is a monthly publication of Gannett.

In order to receive a custom ramp, Iowa Home Consulting asks that a donation be made to any animal rescue facility.

Photo contributed by Matthew Bradner see PAGE 14 & 15

ON THE COVER

Ames sophomore Annabella Marquez was one of the three students from the Ames school district selected as finalists for the “Know Your Constitution” project.

Photo submitted by Peggy Michelotti see PAGE 22

FACETS Table of Contents Features 6 Simply Mae’s

Expanding to include comfort food

8

Martha’s House of Hope

Helping expectant mother’s & infants

10 Fritz Toffee

Story County family

Spotlight 4 Conner settling in as Huxley city administrator 12 More than $47,000 raised for school meal debt 14 Local business offers custom ramps for dogs 16 Farrar schoolhouse appears on Travel Channel 17 West Street Deli celebrates 20 years 19 New downtown business aims to create a waste free future 20 Claim Ames kicks off 22 Ames High School students recognized in Constitution contest 23 Gilbert students donate winter items to those in need

Savor 22 Add a fresh soup to your rotation Minestrone

FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 3

Spotlight

Conner settling in as Huxley city administrator

By Katie Mauch Gannett

T

he snow and ice this winter hasn’t kept new Huxley City Administrator Rita Conner from exploring the town.

Since becoming city administrator in December, her first few weeks have been spent reading up on city documents from the last few years and getting out into the community.

“Have you ever been on a tour of city facilities? It’s just awesome,” Conner said, upon arriving back at her office after a tour of the city’s wastewater treatment plant and equipment facilities with the public works director.

Trying to learn everything about the city in a matter of weeks has been daunting, but Conner said she’s “probably a little impatient” with herself about knowing details about the community.

Conner already has several decades of experience working with city government, but she said each city has new and exciting possibilities.

Previously, Conner served as the economic development director for the city of Des Moines. Prior to that, her first job was for the city of Pleasant Hill, which Conner said had a lot of similarities to Huxley now.

Rita Conner started as Huxley’s city administrator Dec. 16. Contributed photo 4 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

For Conner, being in a smaller city is an exciting change.

While she said Huxley and Des Moines are “more alike than different,” she is looking forward to having more personal interactions with community members and business owners.

“It had been a long time since I’d had a conversation with somebody in a neighborhood,” Conner said. “Local government is the one you can be the closest to.”

Conner said while Huxley was already headed in a good direction when she came in as city administrator, her main goal now is maintaining and continuing the growth the community has experienced.

“Pleasant Hill was where I learned to grow and maintain at the same time,” Conner said. “If you’re a city lucky enough to grow, which Huxley is, you want to make sure the rest of the community has advancement.”

Conner said one of her main efforts to continue that growth is supporting development of new businesses and encouraging residents to shop locally.

“Especially if (people) work outside of Huxley during the day, it’s more likely that they’re going to patronize other retailers and other services,” Conner said.

According to Conner, past examples — like the Fareway store opened in Huxley in 2015 — show that if the opportunity is there, people will choose to patronize businesses and services in Huxley rather than going outside the community.

“As long as people keep making those type of decisions we’ll continue to see business growth,” Conner said.

According to Huxley City Clerk Jolene Lettow, Conner’s “positive attitude” and focus on internal communication and community growth have brought a refreshing outlook to the city.

“She’s dived right in and has been working hard to meet with all the local officials,” Lettow said. “We have several projects going on right now and she has already developed a communication piece in regards to each project to update the council on their status.”

After 20 years of commuting through Huxley on her way from her home in Ames to Des Moines, Conner said she has some familiarity with the town, but it can’t compare to actually working in and exploring the city’s limits.

“I’d been in different parts of the city but I’d really never

“As long as people keep making those type of decisions we’ll continue to see business growth,” Conner said.

CONNER, continued from page 4

Spotlight

driven through the whole thing,” Conner said. “I was able to see different things that happened over the years but there’s nothing like just being able to stop, and park, and this is where I work.”

According to Conner, the city of Huxley is on a track toward growth and success, and she’s happy to be along for the ride.

“I think it’s just all the possibilities that you can just feel here,” she said. “It’s a great community today, it’s only going to get better.”

“Local government is the one you can be the closest to.”Conner said

FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 5

Feature

Jessi Kettenacker and Cande Coulter pose by the Simply Mae’s sign on the “comfort food cafe” side of the business in downtown Story City. Photo by Ronna Faaborg/Gannett

Simply Mae’s moves, expands to include comfort food café

By Ronna Faaborg Gannett

W

hen Cande Coulter and her daughter Jessi Kettenacker opened Simply Mae’s clothing boutique on March 1, they quickly became aware that they were going to need more space sooner than they thought.

The little shop on Story City’s Broad Street quickly became a busy place, so the ladies started keeping an eye out for other opportunities in the Main Street District. Little did they know they’d be presented with an opportunity to move, grow and expand into a second business — a business that fulfilled a long-time dream for Coulter.

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, Simply Mae’s began offering a “Comfort Food Cafe” as well as the comfortable clothing boutique it’s been known for.

Coulter and Kettenacker moved the boutique business to

6 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

the former location of The Yellow Cup Cafe on Jan. 2, but they are now also offering lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Also baked goods and beverages will be available all day during their business hours.

“We knew we were going to need more space,” Kettenacker said. “And this also gave my mom a chance to pursue a dream she’s had for a long time.”

Coulter said she’d been considering opening a cafe or food truck for about the past five years.

“I’ve been in lots of situations where I was always cooking for large groups — church groups and things like that,” Coulter said. “So I have some recipes that are tried and true.”

Those recipes include her Loaded Potato Soup, which has been a hit of Coulter’s for a long time. It’s a potato soup,

SIMPLY MAE’S, continued from page 6

loaded with bacon and cheese, with green onions sprinkled over the top. This soup will be available for lunch each day along with a second type of soup, which will vary by day.

Simply Mae’s will feature comfort food, and the starting menu will include soups, sandwiches, salads and baked goods. Lunch will be served Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with baked goods — muffins, cobblers and cookies — and beverages served all day.

The cafe will offer an online ordering system for people to order ahead, which is meant to be especially convenient for locals who might not have a long lunch hour.

Simply Mae’s will be open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Our family time is also really important to us, so we are not going to be open every day,” Kettenacker said. “We need some time for our personal lives too.”

Even the name of the business reflects the ladies’ emphasis on family. Simply Mae’s was named after Kettenacker’s daughter, Finley Mae, and also for Finley’s namesake, her great-grandma, Brenda Mae. Coulter said they are overwhelmed by the support the community has shown the business since it opened last winter. “The support has been phenomenal — from Story City and also from surrounding communities,” she said.

Feature The clothing boutique side of Simply Mae’s will continue to offer affordable, stylish, comfortable fashions in sizes small to 3X. Coulter and Kettenacker have offered a variety of special events — ranging from a self-defense presentation to music events — they and plan to continue to do so. “The Voice” contestant, singersongwriter EllieMae, will return to Simply Mae’s to perform on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The boutique side of Simply Mae’s offers a selection of clothing and accessories. Photo by Ronna Faaborg/Gannett

Jessi Kettenacker and Cande Coulter, the daughter and mom who own Simply Mae’s, started serving lunch on Jan. 22 at the business’ new location at 601 Broad St. in Story City. Photo by Ronna Faaborg/Gannett Style and comfort are key components of the fashions for sale

at Simply Mae’s in downtown Story City.

Photo by Ronna Faaborg/Gannett FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 7

Feature

Martha’s House of Hope helping expectant mothers, infants in need

By Kylee Mullen Gannett

A

local nonprofit recently opened its doors, offering shelter and support to expecting mothers who are homeless, after more than five years of planning and fundraising.

It all started, if you ask Carol Nelson, with a conversation between two women in a parking lot.

According to Nelson, she and another woman talked beside their cars at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Ames nearly five years ago, discussing the “flaws in the system” they had faced while working for various volunteer organizations, which restricted them from saying “I love you” or giving a hug to those they served.

“One of us, I cannot even remember who, flippantly said, ‘We should just start our own house,’” Nelson said. “So that’s what we decided to do.”

They spoke to their church’s pastor about the idea, who then connected them with a third woman looking for a way to help the homeless community. Together, they formed a board and created Martha’s House of Hope.

Martha’s House, a faith-based support and education system for those throughout the county, state and beyond who “really want their lives to be changed for the better,” officially started accepting applications for residents on Oct. 1.

In addition to providing “a safe environment for both mother and child,” it offers basic needs before and after pregnancy; guidance and counseling, including “mentor moms” to help guide residents through motherhood; transportation assistance; higher education and employment assistance; spiritual development; adoption resources for mothers who choose that path; transitional services; and educational programs, including parenting, financial literacy and life skills.

Missy Sanow, who took on the role of executive director for Martha’s House of Hope in May, said the organization was originally intended to be owned by the Catholic church. However, the archdiocese of the local churches was unable to financially support it.

The board decided to see if there would be any financial support from the community, and “there ended up being a ton of support,” Sanow said.

The community raised the first year’s funds within two months last year, plus in-kind gifts to fully furnish the home and fill it with supplies, Sanow said. She was hired as the sole fulltime staff member, and they’ve worked to prepare the house for its first resident ever since.

Prior to joining Martha’s House, Sanow ran a childcare center in Ames for roughly 20 years. She said her passion has always been to help new mothers and infants, and “I think I was meant to be here.”

Now Sanow looks forward to using her experiences as a 8 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

Missy Sanow, executive director of Martha’s House of Hope in Ames, said the organization started accepting applications on Oct. 1, and is asking for the community’s help. Photo by Kylee Mullen/Gannett

mother and as a professional in childcare to help mothers who come to the house for help. There are four beds in the house, and the organization is looking for its first resident.

Residents are required to go through an application process, including one interview, prior to moving into the house. They must be over the age of 18, with no history of mental illness, violent felony or substance abuse/addiction.

The requirements and eligibility will be considered on a caseby-case basis, Sanow said, but will be more strict for the first few residents, “as we gain our knowledge base.”

“I’m willing to talk to anyone who is in need. We’re really just looking for someone who wants to better their lives,” Sanow said.

“We just want the women and the babies to get a good start in life.”

The house and its services are modeled after Bethlehem House in Omaha, Neb., which has 12 bedrooms in an old convent, according to Nelson. She said the facility is always full, and has been “very successful, and the women there are very transformed.”

She hopes the house in Ames can similarly transform the lives of women who live there, and that their lives will be “changed for the better and different from when they came in.”

Women who live in the house will be required to attend school, volunteer or have a job, Sanow said, with the goal of them saving money and gaining skills that will help them when they eventually move out of the house.

The mothers can continue to live in the house until their baby turns one, and Sanow hopes the services provided by Martha’s House can help make the transition easier, despite unique

Feature challenges each mother will face.

“The challenges are a wide spectrum for these women,” Sanow said. “In Ames, the two hardest things for them will be housing and childcare, because neither are readily available and it’s not affordable at all.”

Sanow is working with a team of roughly 45 female volunteers, and said more volunteers will always be needed to help with transportation, shopping and to spend time with the women who live in the home.

The organization is also currently running a campaign to raise funds for the next year, with a goal to raise $100,000. Donations, which can be made on MHOH’s website, will help cover the house’s rent, utilities, insurance, supplies and food.

Looking forward, Sanow said she is both grateful for the community’s help in getting the program to where it is now, and hopeful for what the future may bring.

“My dream for the program, obviously, is very big. I want to help everybody, and I know they are out there,” Sanow said. “I want to give them the support that will get them to where they want to be, and my overall goal is to get them in their own place to live with a good job.”

Martha’s House of Hope has four bedrooms for expecting mothers who are homeless. Photo by Kylee Mullen/Gannett

FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 9

Feature

The Fritz family, three generations who have owned and operated The Country House Family Restaurant in Colo since 1991, recently launched Fritz Toffee, sharing a community favorite with the nation. Photo by Kylee Mullen/Gannett

Story County family sells sweet treats in new venture

By Kylee Mullen Gannett

L

ife tastes even sweeter for a Story County family embarking on a new business venture after nearly 30 years of running a small family restaurant.

The Fritz family, three generations who have owned and operated The Country House Family Restaurant in Colo since 1991, recently launched Fritz Toffee, sharing a community favorite with the nation.

If you ask James Fritz, CEO of Fritz Toffee, the new business has been more than 40 years in the making.

“I grew up eating this toffee, and my mom has made it for so long,” said Fritz, who lives in Ames with his wife and four kids. “She really perfected it and found a balance where the texture and flavor is like a symphony that you just don’t get anywhere else. There’s a quality that stands on its own.”

Fritz said it all started with his parents, John and Sandy. For roughly 20 years, John worked as a chef in Des Moines and Sandy worked alongside him as a

10 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

waitress. Eventually, the couple moved to Colo to raise their family, and opened their own restaurant selling home-cooked meals.

On the side, Sandy would make sweet treats — cake, pie and candy — to sell by the cash register. Once community members started to try her toffee, they couldn’t get enough.

“She would just sell bits at a time, usually around the holidays, and then it started to just spiral from there,” Fritz said. “People love it, and it grew into what it is today.”

The toffee is a family recipe, which Sandy learned to make by watching her own mother, Fritz said.

Through trial-and-error, she made it her own, a “perfect combination” of milk chocolate, sugar, butter, almonds and pecans.

For Fritz, the taste and quality are unparalleled.

“Personally, I’m not a big toffee fan. I don’t really enjoy most toffees, but this toffee I can’t stop eating,” he

FRITZ TOFFEE, continued from page 10

said. “It’s crunchy and falls apart in your mouth. It’s thick with a lot of chocolate and a lot of nuts. She found a perfect balance between the three, and there’s no sticking to your teeth.”

Fritz and his wife, Molly, saw potential in the toffee and started selling it last year at boutique shows. He said people would come up to their stall, sample the toffee and say “Wow.” He said, “It’s very rare for someone to try it and not buy it,” so they wanted to take the toffee to the next level.

The family reached out to a marketing firm from San Diego, IdeaPros, to see if they could help.

Since then, over the course of the last year, the Fritz family has worked to create a business plan and build a brand. While they continue to sell toffee from the family restaurant, they are also preparing to sell toffee online and ship it throughout the country.

The family — including Fritz, his wife, his parents, and his two brothers, Matt and Jeremy — get together every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, while the restaurant is closed, to make toffee.

During that time, they are able to make just enough toffee to get through the week.

“It’s very labor intensive to make, and there are very specific baking instructions to give it the texture it has. It really has to be very meticulously made. If we don’t like the slightest bit out of a batch, it goes in the garbage,” Fritz said. “Doing it all with my family, it goes really smoothly. We all get along well, and our family is close to begin with. Being in business with them, it just complements it.”

Fritz said, with the high demand continuing to increase, he anticipates the production and packaging of toffee will become a fulltime business, but “that’s on God’s clock, not mine. That’s up to Him how far this goes.”

“My dream would be to have our own location, not doing it at the restaurant, but in a giant barn where people can come to buy it, eat it and see different things,” Fritz said. “It would be a tourist attraction.

That’s my personal goal, that is where I want to see it.”

Fritz said he also hopes to someday branch out and sell new flavors, such as sea salt caramel, dark chocolate or even flavors like jalapeno. Sandy, he said, loves to experiment with the toffee, and it always turns out delicious.

One thing is for sure, though, Fritz said. It will always be a familyrun business in the heart of Iowa.

“Colo is where we are all from. It’s home, so I think we would stay right here,” he said.

The new line of toffee, which is gluten free and made without preservatives, costs $20 per 12-ounce box on the company’s website.

The family also sells 3-ounce packages for $6 and 8-ounce packages for $15 at events.

“The most satisfying thing for all of us is seeing people’s expressions when they eat it, because everybody that eats it smiles.

Everybody that eats it says, ‘wow,’ because it’s something new,” Fritz said. “There’s only one way to really find out exactly how good it is, and that’s to try it.”

James Fritz holds Fritz Toffee packages in the dining area of his family’s restaurant, The Country House Family Restaurant in Colo. Photo by Kylee Mullen/Gannett

FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 11

Spotlight

More than $47,000 raised for ACSD school meal debt

By Kiley Wellendorf Gannett

A

fundraising goal to eliminate school meal debt at Ames Community School District was met and surpassed. After hitting the $47,000 goal set by Collegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation, the church announced a higher balance to reach by New Year’s Eve: $53,000.

“Our initial goal was $47,000, which was the amount of meal debt reported by the Ames Community School District at the start of our fundraising campaign,” said Jodi Smith-Risdal, the chair of our Sending to Serve Cluster at the church. “We learned in December that the amount had increased to over $53,000.”

“Once we hit our original goal of $47,000, which just happened this week, we decided to go for it in the final 24 hours of our campaign to see if we could get to $53,000.”

The amount of outstanding school lunch debt for Ames schools was just shy of $54,000, according to the district’s Chief Financial Officer Chris Stensland.

A church fundraiser is helping to erase of the Ames school district’s school lunch debt. Stock image The final count for the fundraiser is still being counted and will be revealed later this week, according to the Rev. Jen Hibben, associate pastor and campus pastor at Wesley Foundation.

The initial goal was announced in early December after it was decided that the fundraiser would be part of the church’s Advent Offering, where a group of anonymous donors pledged to match $15,000 for the cause.

The fundraiser was inspired by the biblical concept, “Jubilee,” where “every 50 years in the Bible, all debt 12 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

would be forgiven and all slaves would be liberated.”

“Honestly, we knew from the beginning that this goal was bigger than something we could do on our own, that God would have to enter the picture for our original goal to be met,” Hibben said about the new goal. “I think we’re in a place of being able to say that it’s definitely possible, because we’ve already seen some divine intervention here.”

Patrons were able to donate in-person during a handful of the church’s worship services, by mail, or make a donation online.

“We were elated to hit our goal,” Smith-Risdal said. “To be honest, we were a bit unsure if it was even possible to raise such a large sum. I think doing so is a testament to the power of community.”

According to Smith-Risdal, donations additionally came from patrons outside of Collegiate/Wesley.

Hibben said the campaign helped him gain a better understanding of the need that exists in the Ames community.

“On a personal level, raising funds for this has deepened my compassion for families in our community who are struggling,” Hibben said. “I sometimes go to eat lunch with my son who’s in first grade, and I have no idea which kids have meal debt but it breaks my heart to see their faces and know that some of them do.

“I want them, and their families and caregivers, to know we’re in this together, that they’re not alone,” Hibben said.

According to Stensland, students with lunch balances that are negative $100 are sent to collections, where the district can no longer accept donations for those accounts as they then belong to the credit bureau services. The total of those accounts is about $33,000, bringing the total school lunch debt for the district to nearly $87,000.

Meal prices have not changed i n the last two years, according to Stensland, and lunches throughout the district are priced as follows: elementary lunch is $2.75, reduced is $0.40; middle school and high school is $2.95; reduced is $0.40; and adult is $3.75.

“We don’t expect to ever know the full impact that this has on individual families here in Ames, but our hope is

“... “On a personal level, raising funds for this has deepened my compassion for families in our community who are struggling,” Hibben said.

SCHOOL MEAL DEBT, continued from page 12

Spotlight

at the very least they feel like they’re loved, they’re cared about by the whole community and that maybe this makes a way forward where there wasn’t before,” Hibben said. “I think for the larger community too, it has the potential to help remind us of the power of community, of what we can do when we come together.”

“The fundraiser was inspired by the biblical concept, “Jubilee,” where “every 50 years in the Bible, all debt would be forgiven and all slaves would be liberated.”

FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 13

Feature

Local business offers free custom ramps for senior dogs

By Kylie Wellendorf Gannett

A

Iowa Home Consulting, of Ames, has pledged to build ramps specific to a senior dog’s needs for free in exchange for a donation to an animal shelter of the family’s choosing. Photo contributed by Matthew Bradner

14 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

local contracting business is working to give back to senior dogs who experience discomfort due to hip problems and age.

Iowa Home Consulting, of Ames, has pledged to build ramps specific to a senior dog’s needs for free in exchange for a donation to an animal shelter of the family’s choosing.

Prior to announcing the project in November in honor of “National Adopt a Senior Pet Month,” Iowa Home Consulting’s founder and manager Matthew Bradner said he received a request to build a ramp through the animal rescue community.

“Someone had an older dog who was beginning to lose some control of their hips, and they were facing a decision where either they needed to get something to accommodate the dog in the backyard, or they had to face the tough decision of how do we move forward with this animal,” Bradner said. “We built them this ramp for the dog and the dog has loved it; frankly, it truly has extended the life of the dog.”

According to Bradner, the business saw building custom ramps for senior dogs as a way to extend the lives of those animals in their homes. In order to receive a custom ramp, the business just asks that a donation be made to any animal rescue facility.

“There’s no requirement as to how much or what they donate,” Bradner said. “We had somebody donate a bunch of dog and cat toys to a local shelter, so we’re just asking whatever they can.”

Since announcing the project, Bradner said the business has already created around a dozen custom ramps and has received nearly 100 requests across the Midwest.

“Any ramp that we’re constructing is not a generic template; they’re completely customized to the home, whether it’s an interior ramp and we’re helping a dog get up onto the bed, or an outside ramp that’s substitution for the stairs or a deck, everything is completely custom,” Brander said.

Constructing the ramp can range from a couple hours to a full day of work, Bradner said.

“It’s well worth it and great to see the results,” Brander said.

CUSTOM RAMPS FOR SENIOR DOGS, continued from page 14

Feature

Prior to creating ramps, the business has had a history of involvement in helping animals.

“My wife and I have been very involved in the animal rescue and shelter community for a number of years — it’s our go-to cause,” Brander said. “On the business side, as a contractor, I know there’s not a direct connection to animals or animal shelters there, but in turn, we’ve made it our business cause as well.”

Today, the business gives 50 percent of its profits back to the animal rescue community, Bradner said. Some of the donations, according to Brander, include donating services, needed supplies, monetary donations, sponsoring events, hosting events, donating the businesses’ vehicle fleet for animal transport, and the businesses’ vehicles also are “equipped with a stray animal rescue kits to safely capture loose dogs and cats to reunite with owner.”

“We want to make sure we’re doing ‘good’ and giving back to the community we live in,” Bradner said. “I’m sure there’s obviously plenty of tremendous causes out there; for those, I guess, who don’t have a voice to speak for themselves, animals in this case, there’s nothing more rewarding.”

“We’re more than happy to do it, it’s worth every penny.”

To request a custom ramp, Iowa Home Consulting can be reached by telephone or by messaging the Iowa Home Consulting Facebook page.

In order to receive a custom ramp, Iowa Home Consulting asks that a donation be made to any animal rescue facility. Photo contributed by Matthew Bradner FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 15

Spotlight

The Farrar “haunted” schoolhouse was shut down in 2002 and now serves as both the home of the Olivers, as well as a haunted attraction site for paranormal enthusiasts. Photo by Kiley Wellendorf/Gannett

Classrooms sit untouched on the second floor. Photo by Kiley Wellendorf/Gannett

A chalkboard on the second floor is filled with signatures of paranormal crews who have investigated the schoolhouse. Photo by Kiley Wellendorf/Gannett

Farrar schoolhouse appears on Travel Channel

By Kiley Wellendorf Gannett

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n abandoned school in the Maxwell area was featured on the Travel Channel, following an investigation from paranormal crew “Kindred Spirits.” The Travel Channel team is one of the thousands of paranormal teams that have paid the school a visit since Nancy and John Oliver purchased the alleged haunted school in January of 2008.

The Farrar “haunted” schoolhouse was closed in 2002 and now serves as both the home of the Olivers, as well as a “haunted attraction” site for paranormal enthusiasts.

“We don’t disturb people while they come,” Oliver said.

“I let them in and retreat to our (apartment) to be quiet.”

According to Nancy, the school has been part of thousands of investigations and has seen guests including Des Moines band Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, The Discovery Channel’s “My Ghost Story” and “Ghost Stalkers.” Tourists are additionally able to stay overnight at the property.

“Usually (teams) call us and I’ve tried putting feelers out there,” Oliver said on the location being featured. “Adam Berry (Kindred Spirits co-host) has been here before; he was here for an event we had and he was just a joy.”

“Now Amy Bruni (who co-hosts the show with Berry) I hadn’t met her before.”

According to a press release from the Travel Channel, the “team investigates a dark paranormal force that recently seized control of the closed schoolhouse,” where “witnesses claim a massive 14-foot entity now runs rampant through the four-story schoolhouse, prompting caretakers to call in help.”

The property’s caretaker, Will Conkel, was featured in the episode, Nancy Oliver said.

16 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

Spolight

West Street Deli, located at 2810 West St., celebrated both new ownership and 20 years of serving the Ames community in January.

Photo by Kylee Mullen/Gannett

West Street Deli celebrates 20 years of serving Ames

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lot can change over the course of 20 years, but for one local deli — which celebrated its 20th year serving the Ames community in January — one thing has always remained the same.

“We just always try to keep it simple and good, to put out the best quality product that we can and hopefully to as many people as we can,” West Street Deli owner Matthew White said.

White, who took over ownership of West Street Deli, located at 2810 West St., in August 2019, said he is proud to see the small, family-owned deli continue for as long as it has within the community. He said its longstanding tradition as an Ames staple is “a testament” to what the business has to offer.

“I think that’s a testament to what the previous owner, and his family running it, had — the quality of the product they were putting out and the value people were getting for their money. It’s a locally-owned place. A small, family-owned business, and I think that’s important,” White said.

And even though White’s ownership in itself is a sign of change, and he is still working to “get things settled and get my feet under me,” he said he looks forward to continuing West Street Deli’s tradition.

“I’ve never owned a restaurant before — I’ve worked in a lot of them for 19 years, but this is a different route for me, so I’ve been working to develop relationships in the community and let people know that it’s been 20 years now and we’re still here,” White said.

The Ames native — who was “born and raised” within the city, graduated from Ames High School and earned a degree from Iowa State University — said the business also recently established a website, which is the latest change to

“help connect with people and let them know what’s going on.”

The Ames Chamber of Commerce celebrated the new ownership and the 20th anniversary on Thursday by hosting a ribbon-cutting event. Andrea Hammes Dodge, vice president, said “it was an honor to help West Street Deli celebrate.”

“We love supporting our small business community,” Hammes Dodge said in an emailed statement to the Tribune. “West Street Deli has been a gem in our community for 20 years, and we look forward to working with Matthew and his team for at least 20 more!”

According to White, the deli is Ames’ original toasted sandwich shop and was one of the first places in the city where deli sandwiches could be enjoyed. It serves housemade smoked meats, chili, soup, breads, desserts and “one of the largest selections of vegetarian and gluten-free options in Ames.”

“We are working to offer a lot more of that, because I know people really like it and it expands their options, so I think that is pretty unique,” White said.

The business also utilizes local supplies whenever possible and always uses fresh ingredients, White said. That, too, is something that will continue to remain the same.

“We don’t want to change too much of what the core of West Street Deli is, or has been, it’s just going to be continuing some of that stuff and me putting my spin on it,” White said. “We are still a part of the community and we don’t plan to go anywhere. The building we are in is 100 years old now, it’s been several different things over its history but we’ve been here for 20 years, and we hope to be here for at least 20 more years.”

By Kylee Mullen Gannett

FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 17

Spotlight

New downtown business aims to create ‘a waste-free future’

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new business on Ames’ Main Street hopes to help the community live more sustainably by providing plasticfree, reusable and eco-friendly products for everyday use.

ZW Mercantile, a locally-owned and operated business “striving to help beginners and experts alike transition to and maintain as close to a zero waste lifestyle as possible,” will be located at 219 Main St., in Ames, in the building that formerly housed Hoshaw Fine Violins and is currently occupied by the campaign office for Democratic presidential hopeful Andrew Yang.

Mindy Bergstrom, the store’s owner, said planning for the space is still in its early stages, but she is hopeful the store will be ready to officially open on Earth Day, which is on Wednesday, April 22, this year.

“We need to change our individual behavior and begin to ban single-use plastics, and find alternative products for everyday that are reusable,” Bergstrom said. “I look at my nieces and nephews, and I just think about how we’re damaging the Earth and just saying, ‘Now you guys get to take it over.’ I’m hoping we can actually leave it in a better place than it was before us.”

Bergstrom, who also owns two other downtown Ames stores — Cooks’ Emporium, at 313 Main St., and Nook and Nest, at 309 Main St. — said the idea for the business came from seeing how much waste was created every time she received a new shipment.

“When we receive inventory for both of the stores, every single gadget comes in its own plastic, bundled in more plastic, and then within the box with more plastic. I’m almost kind of disgusted in how much everything is packaged in plastic,” she said. “We get in so many packages, and how we receive our product makes me believe there is something I can do to help.”

She has also seen a trend, she said, that points toward the increasing popularity of sustainable products, and “it just made the most sense.”

ZW Merchantile, which stands for zero waste and is modeled after an “old-school general store,” will have products ranging from feminine hygiene and toiletries to food storage and cookware. She plans to also sell certain items in bulk, such as laundry detergent, with a “take a jar, leave a jar” model.

“We’re so excited about having these products that I never really even thought about, but they make so much sense. Bringing your own containers when you go out to eat, to put your leftovers in rather than using Styrofoam. Using reusable (cotton swabs) made with silicon, that you can clean after each use and store in a carrying case. That makes a ton of sense,” Bergstrom said. “It’s just really smart products.”

The new business comes at a perfect time, as many in the community focus on New Year resolutions. According to an Urban Plates/Ipsos poll on 2020 New Year resolutions, using data gathered by surveying a sample of 2,011 adults over the age of 18, 22 percent of people aim to “be more ‘green’” this year.

Bergstrom said that goal is a good one, and she looks forward to helping community members achieve it. However, she also encourages people to be mindful of how much waste can actually be 18 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

By Kylee Mullen Gannett

ZW Mercantile will be located at 219 Main Street in Ames, in the building that formerly housed Hoshaw Fine Violins and is currently occupied by the campaign office for presidential hopeful Andrew Yang.

Photo by Kylee Mullen/Gannett created if a lifestyle switch is taken too suddenly.

“Starting right away is great, but a lot of people just start throwing things away so that they can start fresh. That’s even more wasteful. Use up the stuff you have, and then donate the things you want to get rid of that are still in good condition,” she said.

In the back of the store, Bergstrom said she plans to have a “plant bar,” where customers can buy and pot plants, bring their plants in to be re-potted or even host gatherings where people can create their own terrariums.

She also hopes to offer a range of classes to teach community members how to start and maintain low-waste lifestyles.

“I want to get as close to zero waste as possible,” Bergstrom said.

“Living zero waste is not really achievable in this day and age, but living low waste is. It’s about creating as little waste as you can.”

Bergstrom said, this being her third business to open on Main Street, she is grateful for the community’s support, and she looks forward to providing a new service and product line unique to downtown.

“I just have a lot of love for this community, and there’s been so much support. To see our Main Street flourish the way that it is, I want to help keep it going and keep it growing. There’s something special about downtown Ames, and I’m just really enthusiastic to keep trying new things,” she said.

“I hope that it’s a place people can swing into and find some things they can’t get elsewhere that are going to be reusable. If it comes out the way I want it to, it’s going to be beautiful. I’m excited to see where it goes.”

Spolight

Ames Public Relations Officer Susan Gwiasda presents new promotional materials for marketing Claim Ames, including banner advertisements for the CyRide busses behind her. Photo by Katie Mauch/Gannett

Claim Ames kicks off with new promos

By Katie Mauch Gannett

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“It’s important, it’s safe and it’s easy. ” hat’s the motto Iowa State University students echoed about claiming Ames as their residence for the 2020 census in new promotions for the Claim Ames program.

The city of Ames held a kickoff event for Claim Ames Jan. 13. The press conference featured several representatives from the city and university, including Mayor John Haila and ISU President Wendy Wintersteen.

Speakers encouraged others to Claim Ames in 2020 and reiterated one of the program’s main efforts to encourage ISU students to claim Ames as their city of residence on the census.

“Iowa State students living in Ames during the school year are residents of Ames for the census, and sometimes that’s a confusing issue so we’re going to help our students better understand that,” Wintersteen said.

Data from the census is used to determine several governmental actions including division of Congressional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the future

allocation of nearly $675 billion in federal funding for state and local government programs.

The importance of these determinations is behind the drive for city and county officials to ensure “everyone is counted once, only once and in the right place,” as has been the rallying cry from the U.S. Census Bureau regarding the 2020 census.

City Public Relations Officer Susan Gwiasda showed two new Claim Ames promotional videos featuring Iowa State students and other residents of Ames saying why they were claiming Ames in the 2020 census.

The Claim Ames program has been working with Model Farm, an ISU-student-run creative services agency, to help garner student interest in the census, Gwiasda said.

“Already we’ve had so many students and student groups step up to help our campaign,” Gwiasda said. “We believe that peer-to-peer or student-to-student outreach will be our most effective way of messaging supported by community and university support.”

FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 19

Spotlight

Ames High School students recognized in Constitution contest

By Kiley Wellendorf

Three Ames High School students are finalists in a

Gannett “Know Your Constitution” project put on by the Iowa State

Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division.

Ames High students — freshmen Angelina Chen and Leslie Kim, and sophomore Annabella Marquez — competed among 1,000 students from Iowa and were part of a group of 100 students who were selected as finalists.

“These three girls are particularly amazing,” Ames Community School District mock trial coach and Ames attorney Peggy Michelotti said.

Last year, Michelotti informed students involved in mock trial about the contest and was unaware of how many students decided to apply, she said.

The contest, according to a media release from the Iowa State Bar Association, invited students to familiarize themselves with issues related to the Constitution, complete a quiz and answer an essay question on the topic of a ‘restrictive student dress code at a public high school.’

The program is sponsored by the Iowa State Bar Association, with funding from the Iowa State Bar Foundation and other county Bar Associations across Iowa, according the media release.

“This essay gave me insight on the variability of how things are treated in court,” Ames freshman Leslie Kim said on preparing for the essay. “Just because one case went a certain way doesn’t mean that this will happen in all similar circumstances.”

Ames freshman Angelina Chen said the experience was eye-opening.

The 100 finalists were honored at a luncheon on Jan. 13, where they had an opportunity to hear from Honorable Justice Christopher McDonald of the Iowa Supreme Court, who serves as the program’s keynote speaker.

“My main takeaway from this project was that, with lots of work, you’ll get great rewards,” Ames sophomore Annabella Marquez said. “Initially starting this project, I didn’t really think about the outcome, but I still worked hard on it.”

“Now I get to meet an Iowa Supreme Court justice; many people won’t get the chance to have that opportunity and I’m grateful for it.”

The three students who were recognized have been involved in mock trial since middle school, said Michelotti, who added she has felt inspired by their growth over the years.

“These are amazing, hardworking, very driven women who have utilized the mock trial program to the best of its abilities,” Michelotti said. “They not only made friends, but they have learned to find the love of the law, and to use that to make big changes in the world.”

20 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

“All of them are very, really fantastic in their area of critical thinking.”

The student recognition also pays tribute to the district’s dedication to the mock trial program, Michelotti said.

“It’s just really a testament to their willingness to continue the program and to support their students,” Michelotti said.

Ames freshmen Angelina Chen (top) and Leslie Kim were part of the 100 finalists selected for the “Know Your Constitution” project. Photo submitted by Peggy Michelotti

Ames sophomore Annabella Marquez was one of the three students from the Ames school district selected as finalists for the “Know Your Constitution” project. Photo submitted by Peggy Michelotti

Spolight

Gilbert students donate winter items to those in need

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ore than five boxes of winter weather items were donated by high school students from the Gilbert school district as part of a partnership with the United Way of Story County.

The donations were distributed to local shelters, according to United Way of Story County community impact director Anneke Mundel.

The idea to host a drive came from members of the Gilbert student council, according to Gilbert High School Spanish teacher and student council co-sponsor Rebeckah Hamblin.

“Each month, there’s a different team of students who are in charge of that month and they decide what they want to do,” Hamblin said. “Sometimes they decide to do a fun competition or they’ve handed out treats to students to get through the stress of finals.”

“That December month, they decided that they wanted to an activity where the students were in a competition that gave back to the community.”

By Kiley Wellendorf Gannett

Throughout December, students were invited to participate in a school-wide competition as a way to see what class donated the most items. Students were encouraged to bring in winter items and later place them in their class bin for the competition, Hamblin said.

Everyone wins from the two-week drive, Hamblin said, because the donations are going toward someone in need.

“There were a lot (of items),” Mundel said. “There were a lot of coats, probably in the range of 60 to 70 coats, and a whole bunch of mittens.”

According to Mundel, donations from the drive were distributed to the Emergency Residence Project and the Rosedale Shelter.

“I was just so proud of the student council kiddos for wanting to put something like that together and so grateful for our community for willing to bring things in,” Hamblin said.

Donations from the coat drive were distributed to the Emergency Residence Project and the Rosedale Shelter. Photo by Anneke Mundel/ United Way of Story County

FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 21

Savor

Winter Minestrone. Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post

Add a fresh minestrone to your soup rotation

By Joe Yonan The Washington Post

I

f you’ve had just one or maybe two minestrones in your life, you might be excused for thinking that they’re always the same — summer vegetables, say, with tomatoes and beans and tiny pasta. But the beauty of this Italian soup is that it is many things to many people, and it varies widely by season and geography. Some versions include rice instead of pasta, peas instead of (or in addition to) beans. In Liguria, they add that region’s beloved pesto. No matter where it’s made, the soup is inspired by what you’ve got on hand.

Minestrone is so popular, especially in plant-based-eating circles (and not just in Italy), that the latest one I love comes from two non-Italian sources. In their 2019 book “Vegan Everything” (The Experiment), Nadine Horn and Jörg Mayer apply nice touches to their Winter Minestrone.

The vegetables include carrots, Swiss chard (with the ribs, for texture) and cabbage, the beans are cannellini or 22 | FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020

cranberry (a.k.a. borlotti), and the pasta is ditalini, those little tubes named for their thimble shape. But it’s the spices — a small amount of cinnamon and an even smaller pinch of cloves — that make this cozy enough for any cold night.

WINTER MINESTRONE

Active: 25 minutes | Total: 45 minutes 4 servings This hearty minestrone is perfect for cold nights — and for using up the ends of vegetables in your fridge. Leave the ribs on the Swiss chard for some added texture.

Savor Ingredients 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 bunch (5 ounces) Swiss chard, trimmed and thinly sliced 5 ounces cabbage, cored and thinly sliced 2 carrots, scrubbed and thinly sliced (2 cups)

Steps In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, cinnamon and cloves, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the chard, cabbage and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots start to become tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the broth, tomatoes and ditalini. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer until the ditalini are al dente and the greens are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the beans and vinegar. Cook until the beans are heated through, about 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve hot.

5 cups homemade or no-salt-added vegetable broth One (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 1/2 cups ditalini or other small macaroni One (14-ounce) can no-salt-added cannellini or cranberry beans, drained and rinsed

Nutrition | Calories: 430; Total Fat: 16 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 490 mg; Carbohydrates: 63 g; Dietary Fiber: 9 g; Sugars: 14 g; Protein: 12 g.

(Adapted from “Vegan Everything: 100 Easy Recipes for Any Craving,” by Nadine Horn and Jörg Mayer. The Experiment, 2019.)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

FACETS | FEBRUARY 2020 | 23