CYTown, RAGBRAI and student discipline: The Ames Tribune stories that captured the most readers in 2023

From a new restaurant opening to the CYTown development, there's been no shortage of exciting news in the Ames area this year. Before turning the page to 2024, the Ames Tribune takes a look back at the year that was.

Here are the 10 stories that attracted the most readers in 2023:

10. Pasta Al Forno opens in Ames

A new family-operated Italian restaurant opened in Ames in 2023, and with it came plenty of attention.

Pasta Al Forno welcomes hungry guests at 2601 E. 13th St. in Ames, adjacent to the Quality Inn and Suites.

The restaurant is operated by chef John Kelmendi, his brother and head chef Visar Kelmendi, as well as their brother-in-law, chef Aron Dreshaj. They have owned Pasta Bella in Mason City since 2014, and decided to open a second restaurant in Ames this year. The family has been in the restaurant business for 75 years.

9. Supervisor fired after ISU worker collects pay for unworked hours

Iowa State University Supervisor Todd P. Kelley was fired in June after it was discovered that an employee was collecting wages without showing up for work.

Kelley was accused of playing a role in the falsification of employee timesheets. Allegedly, a pipefitter working at the university was punching in at the beginning of the workday and then going home. According to a university investigation, the pipefitter claimed roughly 60 hours of pay each week while spending only 10 to 15 hours at work.

Kelley filed for unemployment benefits after he was fired. Administrative Law Judge Elizabeth Johnson ruled in Kelley’s favor at a hearing and awarded him his benefits.

8. RuPaul's Twilight Zone-themed drag show takes stage at Stephens Auditorium

The queens of "RuPaul's Drag Race" performed at the Stephens Auditorium in October.

The show had its own spooky theme in conjunction with the Halloween holiday. The 12th annual “Night of the Living Drag Tour” followed the mysterious fates of several drag queens from the show.

7. Markley faces 40 years in prison for human trafficking, sexual exploitation

Carl Markley, 44, of Ames, was arrested this spring on charges of sexual exploitation, human trafficking, two counts of pimping and two counts of prostitution.

Markley allegedly recruited victims to participate in sex acts in exchange for money and other things of value, according to court documents. He allegedly provided locations as well as arranged dates and times for the sex acts to occur.

Markley was a registered nurse for more than 15 years. He operated a wellness clinic in Ankeny and often conducted student physicals for the Ames High School and Ames Middle School.

Searches at Markley's residence and businesses and located documents across a 15-year span, indicating engagement in commercial sexual as early as 2008.

A suit out of Polk County also claims Markley held a "fake" sexual health study on a local couple and never paid the money he promised. He is also accused of luring one of his employees for "practice" physicals, which he offered money for in Story County.

6. Iowa State's CYTown development ahead of schedule, under budget

Iowa State University’s CYTown entertainment development is ahead of schedule as 2024 approaches and is currently $4 million under budget.

The $200 million multi-use entertainment district between Hilton Coliseum and Jack Trice Stadium will feature a McFarland Clinic branch, the project's first official anchor. Plans also include retail and office space, luxury apartments with retail space on the first floor, and a restaurant/brew pub as well as an outdoor entertainment stage.

5. Officials attempt to slow 801 Day at Iowa State

While not an official Iowa State or Ames event, students have made the day of pre-school year partying and heavy drinking a tradition. This year, the city tried to tone down the activities of "801 Day."

In a report to the council last year, officials detailed the event has grown since the late 2010s from a small part of the university's population to becoming "a destination for people from outside Ames." The proclamation that there are often large parties at private residences throughout the day, which usually include underage drinking, lots of noise, and other inappropriate activities.

The city approved some measures to limit inappropriate activities for 801 Day in 2023. For the weekend before the fall semester officially began, nuisance party fines were increased to $650 for a first offense and $850 for a second. Vehicles parked illegally in city streets were permitted to be towed illegally on Saturday, Aug. 19.

4. Ames gets ready for this year's RAGBRAI

The biggest single-day summer celebration made yet another visit to Ames, as the town was an overnight stop for the Register’s 50th Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI).

Thousands of RAGBRI cyclists came through town during the third day of the ride on July 18, an 86.1-mile leg with 1,564 feet of climb. Riders were given a tour of the Jack Trice Stadium as they traveled through the football stadium concourse before exiting across the East Gateway Pedestrian Bridge.

Thousands of riders were greeted by a welcome rally along with an information center and a variety of food vendors. Additionally, two stages in downtown Ames featured live music as part of the RAGBRAI concert series, with 80's cover band Hairball headlining.

3. Former school, historic Nevada home put on the market for $1.7 million

A rural Nevada home nicknamed “Iowa’s Prairie Castle” drew a ton of attention when it went on the market this year for $1.7 million. Located northeast of Ames, the former Milford school celebrated its 100th birthday in the summer.

The historic building includes two full kitchens and three full kitchens, four bedrooms and six bathrooms. The home also has access to an elevator and a 7,000-square-foot shop located in the former school’s gymnasium.

2. Ames City Council decides legality of unique living situation inside school bus

The Ames Tribune's second-most popular story drew the ire of residents and government alike.

A school bus converted into a home in Ames received complaints from neighbors for weeks early in the year.

According to reports, the bus was parked near the 1000 block of North Third and North Fourth streets and the far eastern end of Northwestern Avenue near Wheatsfield Co-op Grocery. The bus appeared to have a woman with one or more animals living inside.

The Ames City Council addressed the issue at a meeting in March. They said city code prevents someone from living in a retrofitted bus on city streets, while an ordinance requires parked vehicles to be moved every 48 hours.

After considering the complaints and various options, a motion was made directing staff to draft limits for the size of vehicles parked on city streets. The vote tied, leaving Mayor John Haila to break the tie with his 'yes' vote.

1. School board disciplines Ames High students in special session

The Ames Tribune's top story of 2023 garnered strong interest over a schoolyard scuffle.

The Ames Community School District board of directors held two special meetings within a week this fall to discipline Ames High School students. The meetings followed a reported uptick in student fights at Ames High School in October.

The board approved consent expulsion agreements for two students after a two-hour closed session on Oct. 30. The board would not confirm whether the agreements meant the students were expelled from school.

At the previous closed session on Oct. 26, the board expelled two students while a consent expulsion agreement was approved for the third. The board would not confirm if the recent expulsions or expulsion agreements were related to a filed incident report for a physical assault at the high school on Oct. 17.

Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Looking back at the Ames Tribune's top stories of 2023