Our Staff

(updated 5.24.11)

Lauris Olson, Owner and Publisher

Lauris became a fan of Ames in 2002, when she returned to the Des Moines Register to become section editor for the weekly Ames Life & Times. In 2005, she left the Register to activate Ames365.com, an independently owned affiliate of the Iowa365.com community public Internet project. The affiliation was dropped in July, 2009, and AmesNewsOnline.com came live.

Lauris has 17 years of journalism experience. She is also owner and publisher of The Ames Bulletin Board. LaurisOlson@AmesNewsOnline.com and Marketing@AmesNewsOnline.com

EmilyVeach, Graphic Artist and Photographer

 Emily is a graduate of Gilbert High School and Des Moines Area Community College. She loves photography, graphic novels and music from the 1970s even though it was recorded before she was born. Emily and her husband live with their two puppies in Ames.  graphics@amesnewsonline.com

Kristin Payton, Events Editor

 Kristin graduated from Iowa State University in 2004, and moved back to Ames after spending time in North Carolina, West Des Moines, Chicago, and Oregon. She is an ambassador for the Ames Convention and Visitor's Bureau, active in Ames Chamber activities, and involved in the Young Professionals of Ames and the Central Iowa chapter of the Public Relations, Advertising, and Marketing Group.

Kristin also volunteers for special events with the Mary Greeley Medical Center Auxiliary. Her interests include writing for her fashion blog, managing her scrapbooking business, and cheering for the Chicago Bears. KristinPayton@amesnewsonline.com

Andrew Duffelmeyer, Reporter

Andrew Duffelmeyer grew up in Ames and is a 2008 graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, where he received a degree in news/internet journalism. He most recently worked as a temporary reporter for the Associated Press in Des Moines, primarily covering the 2011 Iowa Legislature and politics.

Before that he spent two years covering the Legislature and politics as a reporter for IowaPolitics.com, a news website and e-mail subscription service based in Des Moines. He interned with the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register while attending Drake. Duffelmeyer@amesnewsonline.com

Our Vision

AmesNewsOnline.com improves the quality of citizens' lives, the quality of community connections and the area's long-term economic vitality by empowering citizens to participate more fully and knowledgeably.

Our Mission

1. Produce news articles, features and commentary that are accurate both factually and contextually, and thought-provoking.
2. Encourage citizen support ranging from providing content to funding operations of locally, independent news sources.
3. Provide 24-hour access to information assembled from a variety of local academic, business, community and government resources.
4. Be a major planner and player in community celebrations and events.
5. Partner with other media and organizations to carry out our vision.
6. Reinvest resources into local charitable organizations' efforts.

We Value

• Knowledge.We believe in empowering all members of the community by providing free, easy access to information.
• Transparency.We believe both public and private initiatives that impact the lives and livelihoods of local residents are obligated to be honest and open about their policies, programs and business plans.
• The First Amendment. We believe that the right of freedom of the press comes with the responsibility of keeping close watch on government activities.
• Sustainability of Community. We believe today's economic and environmental conditions mandate that all activities of government, business, industry and social alliances must encourage sustainable growth and progress.
• Contextual Accuracy. We believe that the public is shortchanged and truths can be distorted when facts are put into the public arena without supplying the background and context in which they apply.
• Conservation of Resources. We believe in efficient and effective use of local, national and global resources, starting with our decision to publish a community "newspaper" sans paper.

Our Business and Professional Associations

AmesNewsOnline.com and/or the Ames Bulletin Board and/or it's parent company, IowaNewsOnline LLC, and/or it's owner, Lauris Olson, are members of:

Ames Chamber of Commerce (graduate of Leadership Ames)
Ames Community Arts Council
Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau
Ames League of Women Voters (past president)
Ames Noon Kiwanis (current board member)
Campustown Action Association
Community and Family Resources Story County Advisory Board
FreePress
ISU Alumni Association
Main Street Cultural District
Online Publishers Association
Society of Professional Journalists
YWCA Ames - ISU