Cutest Prom Video Ever, No-Confidence Votes, a VP Visit and Champions Crowned: Iowa Patch Picks

Editor’s Note: The Patch community in Iowa includes nine cities: Ames, Ankeny, Cedar Falls, Iowa City, Johnston, Marion, Urbandale, Waukee and West Des Moines. We thought it’d be a good idea to give you a sampling each week of what’s been appearing on Patch around the state.

It's always busy in Patchland, but this week was especially jam-packed. Here's what you may have missed from across our Patch sites.

Congratulations to the Iowa City West High girls' basketball team, which defeated a worthy opponent in Ankeny, 61-56, for the state title in 4A division.

Iowa received some national attention as Vice President Joe Biden paid a visit to Iowa State University in Ames to speak about jobs. Find out his , in an article by Ames Patch editor Jessica Miller. Also in Ames, find out what local fifth-grader Jacob Wiebke did to spearhead a project to make a difference in his community.

Ankeny Patch editor Megan VerHelst has an interesting profile on the Backpack Buddies program, which works to fight hunger for children when they are not in school.

The city of West Des Moines stands to lose $9 million, and plenty of other cities in Iowa could find themselves in similar situations. Learn why in an article by West Des Moines Patch editor Beth Dalbey. 

Iowa City is no stranger to strange crimes. This one has to be among the strangest. Here are a few clues: It involves cheese, a bathroom and Hy-Vee. Also on the crime beat, a new Johnson County jail that has been pushed by some for years and appeared full steam ahead, now appears to have hit the skids as the price tag rises. Iowa City Patch editor Stephen Schmidt writes about the latest estimates and the differing views among the decision-makers. 

A Johnston High School girl has really upped the ante for those of us trying to impress the objects of our affection. Urbandale Patch editor Anne Carothers-Kay writes about the lengths Ashley Shay went to ask a date out to the prom.

Cedar Falls Patch editor Alison Gowans continues to break news and dig into plans to close Unversity of Northern Iowa's teaching lab called Price Laboratory and she's chronicled the backlash from the community and faculty. In her most recent piece, Gowans reports on an unprecedented move by UNI faculty.

In Johnston, a vintage RAGBRAI poster showed up at a somewhat unusual place. See the pictures in a photo gallery by Johnston Patch editor Ashlee Kieler.

Marion Patch editor Scott Raynor writes that he doesn't believe in ghosts, but he continues to find interesting ghost stories from the Marion community. The latest involves Oak Shade Cemetery.

In Waukee, a new online tool for reporting bullying is getting a fair amount of activity at local schools. School officials are calling it a success, Waukee Patch editor Jody Gifford reports.

Don't forget, all of Iowa Patches are running a Best Of contest based on the best place to get fit in town. The contest ends on Friday, so be sure to vote and leave a review of the business.