Ames Voice

When money donations started rolling in Dec. 5, Food at First Director Patty Yoder figured it was an error. “I thought it was a mistake,” she told the Ames Voice. “I thought that PayPal was going to come and take that money back.” It was confusing for Yoder. The donations came in odd amounts, which isn’t unusual, but they were paired with messages that didn’t make sense to her. “I didn’t really know what [the comments] meant,” Yoder said.

The Gilbert School Board race that ended in a tie on election night has an official winner. Jerud Thompson garnered 465 votes, one more than Dakota Hoben’s 464, to win a seat on the board. Current director Josh Bennett also won election to the board. Hoben received the most votes in Story County — 450 to 442 — but Thompson received more in Boone County — 23 to 14. With 2,157 total votes for four candidates and write-ins, the single vote margin represents 0.05%.