☕📰Growth Looks Good On Ankeny

Good morning Ankeny! Hope your basement is dry and your yard isn’t a pond. This rain has been relentless. The sun is coming back… Someday.

In today’s digest:

Lets get started.

— Chase & Chance

Both Ankeny High School and Ankeny Centennial are getting significant additions. Each school will receive a new fine arts addition to support performing arts programs, plus a new athletic facility featuring indoor turf, a full indoor track, and dedicated spaces for athletics, dance, and cheer. The turf areas will also be used during the school day for PE. Design work is already underway and construction is scheduled to kick off in June 2027, with the buildings expected to be ready for students in August 2029. Two schools, two major upgrades, one long overdue investment in Ankeny kids. I guess the sales tax vote is paying off? (more)

🎁 Golden Ridge Lighting is giving one lucky homeowner $1,000 toward a professional Christmas light installation! They specialize in creating custom, professionally installed Christmas displays. You can skip the ladders, tangled lights, and hours of work and just enjoy the finished product.

Everyone who enters the giveaway will receive $150 OFF their Christmas light installation if they don’t win. That means there’s something in it for everyone. Good luck! 🎄✨ Just a few weeks left to enter!

Accumold, the Ankeny-based micro-plastics manufacturer that started in a garage and never left, is expanding again. The company announced a 50,000-square-foot addition to its existing 130,000-square-foot facility on SE Oralabor Road. A $33.2 million project that will add 150 jobs and push its Ankeny workforce past 500 employees. The Iowa Economic Development Authority approved over $1 million in tax incentives to support it, and the city of Ankeny is expected to consider its own $910,000 incentive package at the October 5th council meeting. Accumold makes tiny precision plastic parts for the medical, microelectronics, and optics industries. "Our founder is an Iowa farm kid, and our founders started in a garage in Ankeny," said technical marketing manager Brett Saddoris. "It's just a really good spot to be." Hard to argue with that. (more)

The Hawks made history in the crosstown rivalry Friday night. Ankeny beat Centennial 59-0 at Ankeny Stadium, the biggest margin in the history of the Jag-Hawk rivalry series. Offensive dominance and Caleb Alhussaini's 59-yard punt return touchdown helped the Hawks build a 38-0 halftime lead, and the defense completed a shut out on the Jaguar offense that had been averaging 31 points a game. The Hawks (4-0) travel to Sioux City East on Friday, and the Jaguars (2-2) look to bounce back against Urbandale at home.

The Hawkettes won their Jag-Hawk matchup too. No. 3 Ankeny dropped the first set at No. 5 Centennial on Sept. 15, then took the next three to win 15-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-14. It's the second year in a row the Hawkettes have come back to win on Centennial's court. (more)

Cross-town dominance, courtesy of both squads. Check out the Ankeny Fanatic for all things sports!

Iowa Hawkeye Sophomore RB Braeden Jackson gave Ankeny plenty to celebrate Saturday. On his birthday, the Centennial grad piled up 149 yards and two touchdowns as No. 18 Iowa shut out Northern Iowa 55-0.

Iowa's preferred walk-on offer was his lone Division I opportunity, and he’s already making an impact. Jackson says he's out to prove the doubters wrong, the same way his father did. Fred Jackson went from Division III and undrafted to a standout career as a Buffalo Bills running back.

"I have a chip on my shoulder to go out and prove to people," Jackson told KCRG. (more)

DJ Trivia @ Yankee Clipper - Put your knowledge to the test at DJ Trivia. Great music, fun questions, and prizes up for grabs for the team that brings their A game! 8-9:30pm

Wine Education @ WineStyles - Learn to swirl, sniff, and sip like a pro. A fun, approachable session that breaks down all the "snobby" details so you can actually sound like you know what you're talking about at your next dinner party! 6-8pm

Outdoor Yoga @ Town Square Park - Roll out your mat and join us for a free 45-minute Slow Flow yoga class. It’s beginner-friendly, all levels welcome, just bring a mat! 5:30pm

DJ Bingo @ The Other Place - Ditch the numbers and vibe to the music. Song clips replace the calls, prizes are on the line, and a good time is guaranteed! 7pm

Social Run @ Fitness Sports - Lace up and meet the crew at Fitness Sports for a free social run with routes of 2, 4, or 6 miles (all paces, all ages, all abilities welcome)! 6:15-7pm 

Karaoke Thursday @ The Cabaret - Come sing your heart out. Whether you're a shower singer or a stage hog, all are welcome. 8pm 

Jesse & The Medicine Men @ Ankeny Bandshell - 1:30-3:30pm

Truckin Trivia @ Firetrucker Brewery - Put your knowledge to the test over a cold one! 7pm

Oktoberfest @ The District at Prairie Trail - Live performances from rock cover bands Dirty Champagne and The Guilty Pleasures for a weekend where the lederhosen meet the electric guitar! (info)  

Outdoor Cinema: Frankenweenie @ Porch Light Coffeehouse - Grab a blanket and settle into the Porch Light Coffeehouse & Uptown Garage Brewing Co. Backyard for a Friday night outdoor movie series featuring spooky favorites from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. Chairs and blankets welcome, no outside alcohol please. 7:30pm

Farmers Market @ Market & Pavilion - Fresh produce, local meats and eggs, homemade food goods, and handmade crafts! 8am-12pm  

Artisans Market @ Uptown Garage - Browse and shop handmade creations from local artisans throughout the taproom and patio. Grab a drink, take your time, and find something one-of-a-kind! 10am-4pm

Punchlines & Pints Comedy Showcase @ Firetrucker Brewery - Grab a pint and settle in for a stand-up comedy showcase featuring some of Iowa's top comics for a night of sharp jokes, unexpected twists, and nonstop laughs! 8-10pm

Thanks for reading today’s Digest. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who recycled cans for nickels as a kid.

Stay classy, Ankeny.