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The magazine announced this year's nine "under-the-radar" cities with the statement, "Remarkable communities combine classic elements such as climate, architecture, natural assets and civic energy in a way that makes places healthy, safe and lively."
The article cited the city's CyRide bus system, the numerous cultural attractions and its hosting of the 2006 Special Olympics as part of the assets that helped Ames make the list.
Alison Rogers, assistant editor at Mother Earth News, said though criteria for the magazine's choices was subjective and informal, Ames was a natural choice.
"We were looking at cities that were trying to preserve their local heritage, that achieved a level of sustainability in their programs, and Ames fit that bill definitely," Rogers.
Ames Mayor Ann Campbell said recent acknowledgment by Money Magazine and now Mother Earth News gives Ames "nice bookends."
"Each looks at the community from quite different angles and is probably read by quite different audiences," she said. "The most recent article from Mother Earth highlights our long-term commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, even before that was on the forefront of the nation's conscience.
"I would like to think we are not a 'well-kept secret,' but rather a community that is becoming increasingly well-known as a great place to live."
Ames recently was ranked 53rd in Money Magazine's list of 100 Best Places to Live.
The eight other communities listed in the Mother Earth News story are Bethel, Maine; Bisbee, Ariz.; Berea, Ky.; Viroqua, Wis.; Moscow, Idaho; Greenbelt, Md.; San Luis Obispo, Calif.; and Traverse City, Mich.
Laura Millsaps can be reached at 232-2161, Ext. 342,
or lmillsaps@amestrib.com.
