Ankeny's Week in Review: City Council Candidates Face Off, Costumed Kids Nab Candy, Another Football Victory

1)

The Ankeny Hawks marching band performed an exhibition on Saturday at football field during the 2011 Mid-Iowa Band Championship.

Bands from as far away as Minnesota and South Dakota made the trip to compete, but in Class 4A first place went to a marching band from just down the road. West Des Moines Valley bested runner-up Waterloo West and Dowling Catholic.

2)

Praying for health and happiness isn’t just for humans in Ankeny.

and held its annual pet blessing Sunday afternoon, taking a moment to pray and hope for the well-being of all the four-legged members of Ankeny families.

3)

How to pay for the second phase of Southview Middle School construction is yet to be decided by the Ankeny school board, but a majority of the board members are convinced voters won’t support a referendum to finish the school.

The board reviewed four options Monday to finance the completion of the middle school, including the current board-approved plan which calls for a $15.6 million referendum in February or April of next year.

4)

The Ankeny school board gave the green light at Monday’s meeting to a $4 million project to improve athletic facilities at .

The decision was back in front of the board after members . Despite the project’s approval, not all board members supported the motion after an earlier discussion .

5)

Area businesses were honored Tuesday night for their contributions to the economic climate of Ankeny.

The Ankeny Economic Development Corporation held its annual Salute to Industry at in Ankeny. Business leaders networked with one another and honors were awarded to companies who went the extra mile in the past year.

6)

Responsible spending was the theme of Wednesday night's Ankeny City Council candidate forum.

Five individuals faced off at the forum hosted by the . The three incumbents and two challengers vying for three seats on the council all seemed to agree that whoever is elected must take a conservative approach to leading the city.

To see all questions and candidate responses, check out the replay of our live blog.

7)

It was a different kind of play date Wednesday for some Ankeny children.

Representatives from the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority paid a visit to  Wednesday morning. In honor of the organization’s fifth birthday, officials figured a good way to celebrate would be in the company of its future riders.

8)

Be on the lookout – goblins, ghosts and ghouls will overtake the streets of Ankeny in the coming days.

Many local organizations are planning Halloween activities for Ankeny children. Events kicked off Thursday and will continue through Oct. 30.

9)

Which kid in America has the most creative Halloween costume in the pumpkin patch?

That's what we intend to find out with your photos and the help of celebrity judge Heidi Klum, who will select the Grand Prize winner.

10)

For years, Kerri Alleman’s house was the easiest one to spot on Halloween.

Kids would line up at her front door for a chance to check out the haunted house that her family built in their unfinished basement. Every year it got a little bit bigger, with Alleman’s husband, Matt, and her three kids, Jake, Josh, and Natalie, adding touches to the haunted house annually.

This year the Alleman family's haunted house has undergone a major change, relocating to their church, .

11)

Each Friday, Ankeny Patch will feature an animal from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa waiting to be adopted into a good home. This week, we introduce you to Princess.

12)

Uptown Ankeny was full of foot traffic Thursday evening.

The historic retail area had plenty of spooky characters, pirates, princesses, superheroes and more wandering about, as the  hosted its annual trick-or-treating event from 5 to 7 p.m.

13)

The Ankeny Hawks showed no mercy on Friday night as they downed Council Bluffs Lincoln 49-7 to finish the regular season at 8-1.

The Hawks gained a five-touchdown lead by halftime, ushering them to the win and knocking Lincoln to 5-4.