Top 9 of Iowa: Obama's Back, Man Arrested for Facebook Comments, Readers Say 'Neglect' After Dog Dies in Iowa Heat

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. Normally a presidential visit to Iowa would warrant a higher seed than No. 9, but since this is the ninth time Barack Obama, the VP or the First Lady have been to Iowa this year, glad to see ya, but, snooze, you're No. 9 in our Iowa Patch countdown. P.S. The Prez is on Tuesday, as our Marion Patch reports.

8. While we're on the topic of politics, coming in at No. 8 is Iowa House hopeful Jake Highfill from Johnston who just found out, or maybe we should say, the press just found out through to be sorted out in the closet.

7. Is it just me or does Iowa City need to put a check on the 'is this made up?' news coming out of that city? The latest 'it's only true in Iowa City' news is that a man is facing charges for .

6. Our countdown takes a more serious turn with No. 6. In Urbandale, police are investigating a case where a family . Poiice came, but it was too late. Our readers are proclaiming animal neglect. Read the story and tell us what you think.

5. Next up in our suddenly downer list, a man has been in Cedar Falls- eight of them. Keep in mind, he's only been arrested, not convicted, but while we're on the topic, isn't stealing from church just a bad idea on a lot of levels?

4. Let's stick with the church theme. In Waukee, a daycare that was once forced by the Point of Grace church to adhere to Christian principles -- including banning non-Christians, sexually-active singles, male-female roommates and practicing homosexuals from employment -- will .

3. Our talented West Des Moines Patch editor Beth Dalbey, who has literally walked with bonobos, has a really interesting take on a  and why it might just be a risk of the job that some are willing to accept.

2. It's a lot of money - $175,000. When it's coming off the public dime, it stings a little knowing the Ankeny former superintendent is not only walking with $175,000 transition check, but has signed on in Oswego, IL for $225,000 annually. The Ankeny school board isn't giving up so easily; they are looking to see if there is anything they can do legally to stop payment.

1. Finally, in a final nod to Fourth of July and those who go above and beyond to serve our country and allow us to enjoy the freedoms we have, is a first-person story from a chiropractor in Ames. Nathan Wheat was an Air Force vet in , he describes what happened.

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