Top 9 of Iowa: Obama Visit, Mom Who Killed Twins Gets 50 Years, Election Probe Hearing, Paul Ryan Meets Iowa Hecklers

Why nine? Because the Patch community includes nine sites in Iowa: Ankeny, Ames, Cedar Falls, Iowa City, Johnston, Marion, Urbandale, Waukee and West Des Moines.

9. for Ankeny City Council to fill a seat vacated by Craig Block, who resigned in April.

8. Do Iowans have the most heart? A former Marion high school wrestler who has since moved away, because he believes we do.

7. The school year got off to a precarious start in Waukee where residents were warned of .

6. In Iowa, Hy-Vees are about as much a staple of the state as corn, hogs and John Deere, so it's no surprise that the Urbandale was met with fanfare. Click on the above link to check out the sneak peak photos of the store.

5. At one point, politics - particularly visits from sitting presidents - would warrant a higher place on our Top 9. But, since this week marked the umpteenth time President Barack Obama has been here, it is going right in the middle of the countdown. That said, we have coverage from covered by our Ames Patch editor, covered by our Cedar Falls Patch editor and his surprise visit to the .

5b. Keeping on the political theme, but not letting it take over the list, we have created a '5b.' two days after being announced as Mitt Romney's running mate. Ryan held his own amid a raucous crowd, hecklers and a protester who rushed the stage (Watch the attached video). 

4. Our West Des Moines editor got a special treat, , who has a growing reputation for her Sunday evening dinners.

3. Sad news from our Ames Patch, where a young Huxley woman made an unexpected appearance in a Story County courtroom. She , who were discovered in the trunk of her car in January.

2. State officials could schedule a date next week to review an ethics  accusing Johnston school board members, administrators and staff of .

1. The story continues to unfold in Iowa City where one man died after being shot by police, another was hospitalized, another was apprehended following a four-hour standoff and yet one more man remains on the run. It stems from .

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