From a City of Ankeny media release: On April 18, students, parents, teachers, along with representatives from the City of Ankeny and local businesses gathered at Ankeny High School to celebrate the conclusion of the City's fourth annual Workforce Partnership Student Academy. The Workforce Partnership is a collaborative effort between the business and education community, connecting students with career opportunities in Ankeny. The goals of the workforce partnership are to give students exposure to a workplace environment, inform teachers about the skills their students will need to be …

From a City of Ankeny media release: The City of Ankeny is sponsoring an Appliance and Electronics Recycling Day on Saturday, April 20th from 8 a.m. to noon. The recycling day will be held at the City Maintenance Facility located at 211 SE Lorenz Dr. The City of Ankeny is working with Midwest Recovery of Bondurant, Iowa to allow residents to drop-off a number of household appliances and electronics with no on-site charge. A fee will be charged for monitors and televisions based on the size of the unit. Items accepted, items not accepted, and a price list for monitors and televisions can be …

From an Ankeny school district media release: Cary Shapiro, Ankeny High School drama, speech and performing arts teacher, has been selected by the National Federation of State High School Associations to receive the National Federation State Speech, Debate, and Theatre Award for the state of Iowa.  There are only 19 recipients of the state award in the United States this year. Shapiro was selected as a state recipient based on recommendations made this fall. The IHSAA recognized Shapiro as an exceptional leader in the Ankeny school system who has worked as a mentor to young teachers in his …

From an Ankeny school district news release: Ankeny students, parents, teachers and administrators joined together March 26 in the Ankeny High School gymnasium to recognized student achievement at the annual Academic Excellence Celebration. Students were addressed by keynote speaker Jodi Whitworth, a 2009 AHS graduate and current WHO-TV journalist. Whitworth ran track in both high school and college, and was Ankeny High School’s 2008 homecoming queen prior to attending college at Northwestern University. She encouraged students to not only set high standards, but to continue to believe in …

From an Ankeny school district media release: As part of their annual philathropic projects, Ankeny High School Key Club members have donated $1,000 to the Ankeny Miracle Park project in memory of Joe Tourte, an Ankeny High School student who passed away last year.  The club had set a goal earlier in the school year of raising $1,000 for the park and then worked selling lanyards, coordinating fund-raising events such as an 'Ugly Sweater Day' at schools, bussing tables for donations at HuHot, as well as staffing tables and passing buckets during 'Miracle Nights' at AHS sporting events.   "The …

From a city of Ankeny news release: The City of Ankeny Municipal Utilities Department announced today that fire hydrant flushing will get underway beginning April 1 and ending in late May. The hydrant flushing will occur in the southeast quadrant of Ankeny this year. An online map has been created and will be updated daily to identify where hydrant flushing is occurring. Residents living in the affected area are urged to be aware of the flushing in their respective area and that temporary water discoloration could be a possible result. "We are asking residents to be patient and cooperate with…

From a city of Ankeny media release: A watershed study on Fourmile Creek is being completed and a public meeting will be held to share the results with residents and receive feedback. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Conference Room at Snyder & Associates, Inc., 2727 SW Snyder Blvd. in Ankeny. This public meeting is intended for residents located on the upper/northern part of the Fourmile Creek watershed, such as Ankeny, Alleman, and neighboring communities. The purpose of the watershed study was to engage the public in watershed management for …

From an Ankeny school district press release: The Ankeny Board of Education recently approved the hiring Holly Anderson as the new Ankeny middle school activities director for the 2013-14 school year.  Anderson will assume the new role when the eighth and ninth grades divide into two buildings next year, and will work to provide a smooth transition and expand opportunities for middle school students in athletics and activities. She currently serves as a physical education, wellness and interdisciplinary course teacher at Ankeny High School."I am honored and excited to continue my work with …

From a media release: On Wednesday, Rep. John Landon (R-Ankeny) supported House File 478, a bill that leaves more money in Iowans’ pocketbooks and reduces Iowans’ income taxes.   The bill gives Iowans a choice when paying their income taxes, either the current system or a 4.5 percent flat tax with zero deductions or credits. No one will pay higher income taxes under this plan. Additionally, it raises the filing threshold so that the first $6,235 (or $12,450 for married couple) would not be taxed.  “The hardworking taxpayers of Iowa deserve to keep more of their own money,” Landon said.  “Not …

From a city of Ankeny media release: The Ankeny CERT Team is hosting a free CERT training course beginning next month. The training provides participants with basic training in disaster survival and rescue skills to help reduce loss and protect life and property until emergency responders can arrive. "The program is a great way for neighbors to join together and learn how to prepare for and take care of themselves, their families, loved ones and neighbors when a disaster does happen," said ACERT Coordinator Forrest McGuire. During the CERT course, students will receive training in emergency …

From an Ankeny school district media release: "War in Love", a short film by Andrew Richlen, Anna Vozdrogonova, Kaitlin Peterson, Shelby Vroman, Austin Elder, Matthew Stewart, Maddie Noble, Cassie Sardeson, and Bryce Smith, recently won the Iowa High School Speech Association Large Group Speech All-State Critics' Choice award at the All-State festival on February 16.   This is the first year that Short Film has been a full category at the festival, and this was the first Critics' Choice banner to be awarded in this category. The Critic's Choice award is given to the performer that, in the …

From a media release by the city of Ankeny: The city of Ankeny seeks applicants for an open position on the Board of Directors of the Polk County Aviation Authority. The Board meets the first Thursday after the first Monday of each month. The seven-member board is comprised of three Polk County, two Ankeny, one Bondurant and one Altoona representative. They oversee the operation and budget of the Ankeny Regional Airport. The city has one open seat, which term expires December 31, 2013. Applicants must be a resident of Ankeny. Applicants are not required to have an aviation background. This is…

From an Ankeny Chamber of Commerce media release: The Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its inaugural 2013 Chamber Chill 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, March 2, on the Des Moines Area Community College campus in Ankeny. The race had 250 participants and over 30 volunteers. Twenty-two local Chamber members sponsored the event including Presenting Sponsor, John Deere Des Moines Works and Snowflake Sponsors, A+ Lawn and Landscape, Monsanto Company, and Des Moines Area Community College. The event concluded with a Thaw Out After Party hosted by Wig & Pen Pizza Pub. “We were pleased with the …

The City of Ankeny is planning a controlled burn on the prairie located in Horizon Park off NW Prairie Ridge Drive by Kirkendall Library between March 11 and April 30, weather dependent. Residents who live within a 1,000 foot radius of the burn areas have been or will be notified via letter posted on their front door. It is expected that the area will take less than one day to burn. The burns have to be completed when there is less than 10 mph wind in order to keep smoke from traveling far. The burns also take place between sunrise and sunset. The Ankeny Fire Department, Polk County dispatch…

From an Ankeny school district news release: Ankeny Show Choirs swept the Cedar Rapids Kennedy Raise the Roof show choir competition held on Saturday, February 23.  In the last competition of the season, junior varsity group Perpetual Motion took first place in the prep division and varsity group Visual Adrenaline won first place in the open division.  These were just a few of the many awards these choirs received. In addition to first place in the Prep Division, Perpetual Motion, directed by Lisa Kelsey, won Outstanding Vocals, Outstanding Choreography and tied for Best Band.  Nick Keech won…

March is the greatest month for basketball enthusiasts. To celebrate March Madness, the Parks and Recreation department is hosting a day full of basketball contests, a basketball themed movie and more for 2nd – 6th graders on Thursday, March 21. Participants will be able to compete in a variety of basketball contests including dribble derby, free-throws, relays and more. A basketball themed movie will be shown to conclude the day. Prizes will be awarded and lunch will be provided! March Madness will be held at Prairie Ridge Middle School; tip-off for the event is 11:30 a.m. with the horn …

From an Ankeny school district news release: The Ankeny Board of Education has approved Ms. Kandi Hensel as the new coordinator of special programs for the 2013-14 school year.  Ms. Hensel will replace Nancy Lehman, who will assume the position of Southview Middle School associate principal next year.  Hensel previously served as a principal for Hampton-Dumont Middle School in Hampton. “We are extremely pleased to welcome Kandi to our Curriculum and Instruction team,” said Lisa Glenn, director of special programs for the school district.  “Her experiences teaching special education and …

From a news release from the Ankeny school district: Attention Ankeny students of all ages:  Have you always dreamed of being a composer?  Do you love to write poetry or lyrics?  Would you like to be a part of the history of Ankeny Centennial High School?  Then we have an opportunity for you!  The Ankeny Centennial High School (ACHS) Jaguar Advisory Teams, made up of future ACHS students, have commissioned an original school fight song to represent the ACHS Jaguars.  Travis Cross, a 1995 graduate of Ankeny high school wrote the musical score; we now need your help to write the lyrics to the …

From an Ankeny school district press release: Last week, at the peak of show choir season, 20 choirs from Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska competed at the 30th Annual Urbandale Show Choir Invitational. The competition included the 2011 and 2012 national champions, Wheaton-Warrenville South, The Classics. Varsity group Visual Adrenaline, directed by Lester Miller, III, placed second during the day-time round. Only seven points behind the Wheaton-Warrenville, Illinois group, The Classics. Visual Adrenaline also won Best Band for the second time this season. The finals came down to a …

From an Iowa House of Representatives news release: The Iowa House debated its first set of bills for the year on Wednesday and Rep. John Landon (R-Ankeny) floor-managed the first bill and his first piece of legislation. Senate File 106 was a Ways and Means committee bill that incorporates federal income tax changes enacted by Congress during 2012 into the Iowa income tax law.  It passed the House and was sent to the governor for his consideration.  Landon is pictured above giving his opening remarks on the bill.