CR Wash Surveyor February 2016

Volume 59

Issue 5

2 February 2016

Asbestos: Why is the State Trying to Sue Itself? (pgs. 10-11) Ben’s Pizza Oven (pg. 13) College Costs Too Much - Editorial (pg. 7) The Evolution of Justin Bieber (pg. 19)

Matthew Andersland

Sarah Altemeier

Gunnar Bosking

Emily Burke

Brandon Cullen

Riley DeWolf

Jillian Gannon

Molly Hunter

Ben Janssen

Rielle Jones-Teske

Seth Keppler

Grace Kline

Emily LaGrange

Billy Lemos

Tyler McGuire

Claire McKinstry

Jonathan Melander

Anna Rizer

Hannah Sherman

Betsy Smith

Jake Truemper

2

Staff box

Becca Turnis

Addi Westpheling

The new (and old) staff members of the Surveyor and their furry friends wish you a lovely Valentine’s Day! Editor-in-Chief

Molly Hunter

What’s Inside: Mission

News

Netflix and Chill - 4 Late Starts - 5 McKinley Student Attacked - 5 Gun Control Executive Order - 6

Opinions

College Costs Too Much - 7 Valentine’s Day - 8 Date Catch - 8 Today’s Deal with Religion - 9

Feature

Asbestos - 10-11

Profiles

The Real Pizza Party Ben - 13 FBOM - 13 UNI Scholarship Offers -14 Mr. M’s Standford Experience - 15

Sports

Bowling - 16 Competitive Gaming - 16 Hawkeye Basketball - 17 #D1orDNone - 18

Non-Discrimination Policy

It is the policy of the Cedar Rapids Community School District not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (employment only, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status (students/program only) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. District employees with questions or a grievance related to this policy should contact Jill Cirivello, Director of Human Resources, 319-558-2421; jcirivello@ cr.k12.ia.us. Students and others should contact Rhoda Shepard, Director of Student Services, 319-558-2964; rshephard@cr.k12. ia.us. The District mailing address is 2500 Edgewood Rd NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405-1015

Affiliations

Iowa High School Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, Quill and Scroll.

A&E

Evolution of the Biebz - 19 Dollar Date - 20 Downton Abbey Review - 20 Best Sled Slopes in CR - 21

Backpage

MOM - 23 Surveyor Staff Picks Playlist - 23 Faculty Funnies - 23 Roses + Thorns - 23

Molly Hunter

The Surveyor is established as a school-sponsored designated forum dedicated to informing and entertaining its readers. The staff will report as fairly and well-balanced as possible. All activities and news will be covered to the best of the staff ’s ability. The Surveyor accepts the Society of Professional Journalist’s Code of Ethics as the basis for good journalism.

Readers are encouraged to express their viewpoints through guest editorial. The Surveyor also welcomes letters to the editor, with these guidelines: it is no libelous or obscene, it explains the material clearly, it is not longer than 500 words, and that it is signed.

Editor-in-Chief

Photos Front cover photo by Molly Hunter

Corrections Cordejha Lewis’ first name was mispelled on the back cover of issue 4.

On page 13 of issue 4, there was a misprinted picture of Caleb Donels. It should’ve been a picture of Mr. Throndson and his son, Jeremy - unfortunately, this picture could not be recovered.

Table of Contents

3

When Did “Netflix and Chill” Go Too Far? Brett Visser Guest Columnist It’s 3:30 p.m., and here I am heading out for my daily run. What do I expect from this run? Probably pain, followed by a good runner’s high, some stress relief, and… catcalling? Yes. Without fail, some guy, somewhere along my route always finds it amusing to yell out of their car window, “nice ass!”, or something similar. The same questions always seem to arise in my head, “Why was that necessary? What was the purpose of that? Any runner knows the purpose of the run is not to look good for the benefit of the bystander.”

Women of all shapes and sizes are beautiful, and women shouldn’t have to choose their athletic apparel to avoid harassment. Instead of asking women to change what they wear or where they workout, could we as a society change the way we approach teaching our children about rape, rape culture, and respect for women? We teach our girls at such young ages that they should “watch out” for some men. Ideally, we would teach all children, not just girls, that respect for women should not be an exception, but the rule.

Let’s teach the boys about how to treat women instead of teaching women about how to defend themselves against the men who can’t control themselves.

It’s a problem that it is ingrained in girls, from the time they are very young, to cover themselves up for fear of distracting 4

News

boys; however, it is not ingrained in boys to retain control and respect women, regardless of the situation.

The optimist assumes women can and should roam this world without fear of men abusing or taking advantage of them.

That all women should be respected and not have to “cover up”, for the sake of men.

The pessimist would say that women need to be protected and guarded from men.

Women should wear clothing that covers them, not over-drink, and always use a buddy system. The realist knows the fine line between the two. In an ideal world, the educated woman (that’s all of you here at Wash) will demand respect for herself in all situations.

The woman will acknowledge that not every man has his best intentions with her, and she will know how to appropriately handle this situation. Not only will the educated woman be able to make smart decisions for herself and demand respect, but the educated man (again, all of you at Wash!) will be able to respect a woman’s decision.

Everyone dresses differently, but everyone demands, and deserves, the same level of respect. Just because she’s had too much to drink shouldn’t mean you respect her any less than if she was sober. All in all, men and women should have respect and a common understanding of each other.

The situation I face while running is applicable to different scenarios. Imagine a girl at a party wearing a rather short skirt and low cut top. Is she asking to be assaulted? Absolutely not. Was the girl who drank too much able to speak for herself when a guy asked her to give consent? No way. Did he just want to give her a ride home? Probably not. I’m not saying that all guys have bad intentions. However,

girls shouldn’t have to decipher whether getting a ride home means ending up in an unwanted situation, or getting home safely.

Unfortunately, these experiences are more prevalent than expected in high school.

Recently, I’ve been informed of a movement called, “yes means yes”. This movement addresses the issue that many women face in the world of sexual assault.

Just because the woman didn’t say, “no”, doesn’t mean she’s saying, “yes”. Sometimes men assume that because of the situation that the intentions are mutual, which is not true. A lot of the time, the intentions of both parties are not mutual which is why, “yes means yes”, is important. Every step of the way should be mutually agreed upon.

Ask her, and if she says yes, proceed. It’s that simple.

Recently, I have accepted my admission to University of Northern Iowa. After I accepted, one of the informational pages about school conduct and safety on campus was all about sexual assault. I’m sure you’ve seen several articles about assault on college campus’s and how prevalent it is. However, by the time you reach college most of you will be eighteen.

You’ll be an adult! Shouldn’t you learn how to behave before you can get yourself into a situation where you might be charged with sexual assault?!

I have heard too many stories of guys taking advantage of girls in high school to let anyone at Wash continue without some common knowledge. Help me help you by furthering your education on sexual assault by exploring movements such as, “it’s on us”, and the “yes means yes”, movement. Always remember, “Netflix and chill” should never get uncomfortable.

(Read more facts on Page 5...)

News Editor

Emily LaGrange

Early Outs vs. Late Starts

It’s on us: -To recognize that nonconsensual sex is sexual assault.

-To identify situations in which sexual assault may occur.

-To intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given.

-To create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.

Bottom line: Take these situations seriously, be a friend to people who may need to confide in you, and take your knowledge and spread it to help others!

On Dec. 3, Miguel Tirado was walking home from McKinley Middle School playing with his friends and throwing snowballs. One of these snowballs hit another 12-year-old, resulting in that 12-year-old brutally attacking Tirado.

Danny Torres, Tirado’s father, reported that he received a call saying his son had been taken to Mercy Hospital. Tirado was then transferred to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he received the rest of his treatment.

Steve Goodall, Principal at McKinley, explained that he stumbled upon the incident shortly after it occurred.

“Miguel was a victim of an altercation,” Goodall said, “and suffered a head injury.”

Emily LaGrange

News Editor

Gunnar Bosking Sports Editor Every other week, early dismissals are the event that every single high schooler looks forward to. They’re the days where we say to ourselves that we’ll get caught up on homework, but in reality will nap and get caught up on Netflix. Now, the district is proposing a plan that will put that routine in jeopardy. The proposal is that next year, those half-day Wednesdays will instead turn into late starts.

“A move to weekly professional development opportunities is intended to provide every teacher in the district with time to collaborate with other teachers, plan, and implement to the benefit of all of our students,” says Cedar Rapids Schools Superintendent Brad Buck. “It also allows for time for new learning that may be needed as the implementation process unfolds.”

Teachers have always used these early releases as times to collaborate with other teachers and plan curriculum. They sometimes confine these collaboration hours within their own building, sometimes it’s with other teachers in the district. Either way, these sessions are very important for education and how it is delivered. Basically, this new plan would have the same implications, but would take place earlier in the day, and on a weekly basis instead of one which is biweekly.

“Moving it to earlier in the day is pretty much just more habit- forming,” said associate principal Valerie Nyberg, “getting it out of the way will just make the rest of the day go better. I’m here either way, so it doesn’t really matter to me.”

McKinley Student Attacked Riley DeWolf Staff Reporter

He also explained that it was unknown to him of any punishments the 12-yearold could potentially receive, given the fact that the former McKinley student no longer lives in Cedar Rapids.

Later in the evening on the day of the attack, after returning home from the hospital, problems again began to arise.

Tirado was once again transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where his parents received news that he had suffered a seizure and a stroke. A shunt was inserted into his head to drain away the blood that had rushed to his brain.

His survival that night was seen as a

Photo Credit: Miguel’s GoFundMe

miracle by his doctors.

Unfortunately, part of his brain became inoperative. His recovery could now take up to a year, and it is still unknown if a full recovery is possible.

Along with this extensive treatment comes high medical costs. There is a GoFundMe page for Miguel and his parents in order to raise money contributing to the recovery costs. Their goal is to raise $15,000, and the family is slightly over one fifth of the way there. You can visit his page on GoFundMe to learn more about Miguel and his story.

News

5

Newest Executive Order Obama’s Gun Reduction Action

Emily LaGrange News Editor President Barack Obama announced in a Jan. 5, 2016 speech the placement of an Executive order that requires gun salesmen to have a license and to conduct background checks on clients that wish to purchase a gun, according to www. whitehouse.gov. In this, there will be a requirement that each state keeps records of these background checks, as well as greater federal funding for mental health treatment for Americans.

An Executive order is used to bypass Congress in critical situations. “Throughout all of American history, there are multiple examples of presidents using the Executive order on issues of either national security or social justice. I would consider this both,” said Dr. Amy Jones, an AP social studies teacher at Washington High School.

In his speech, Obama addressed his enforcement of this particular Executive order by referencing previous mass-shootings of innocent people, including those of Americans ranging from elementaryschool aged children at school, to adults shopping at their local supermarket.

For one Wash student, Demitree Davis, ’17, the significance of guns in American society has hit entirely too close to home.

Davis’ sister, Wash alumna, Denisha Davis, ’13, was shot and paralyzed at a party in Iowa City in March of 2014, according to The Gazette.

Davis believes gun laws need to be significantly limited. “They should be used hunting-wise only,” said Davis.

6

News

Many gun-reduction laws have been issued in the past, but the hoped-for end result is always the same. “I think it will potentially help keep guns out of the hands of people that should not have them,” said Jones.

The question as to why it has taken so long for the president to issue such a law frustrates many American people. “...

The fact of the matter is, is he actually was exercising restraint in trying to get Congress to go the traditional route, and

CC by The U.S. Army

it’s only by their lack of any sort of action on the issue that caused him to do that,” said Jones.

In this, some believe that Obama was doing all he could to not take one of the more highly-opposed routes in the issuance of laws. “I feel like he as president has been hyper-scrutinized and attacked mercilessly, and I feel like he tried many, many times, he beseeched, literally, the Congress to work with him and couldn’t get anywhere. So actually, I think it shows presidential restraint. He was trying to not go to the extreme options within the executive office, but he had no other option,” said Jones.

Many criticize Obama’s issuance of this particular order due to its bypassing of a crucial part of the American government. “[There is criticism because of] the vilification of the Executive order, particularly under Obama, the irony being there that he has issued a fraction of the number of executive orders that his predecessor did,” said Jones.

Some find the current leniency of gun laws to be unforgivable. “Why would you give a gun to someone [and risk] someone getting mad and shooting up the school?” said Davis.

In the end, a small change in the status quo of gun protection is seen as that of importance in the governing of America. “I think it’s a small step in the right direction,” said Jones.

On the other hand, some politicians have voiced their opposing opinions regarding these gun orders. Some believe that these orders create a form of tyranny within the government because of the fact that Congress was left out of the decision-making part of this process.

Some also believe that these new Executive orders are simply beyond the president’s reach. They believe that strict gun control action is not something that can be passed as a form of legislation and then can be expected to subside, according to CNN. Many opponents make reference to their perceived overuse of Obama’s orders on Executive legislation as reason to go against the president’s new ideas. They see this as a way of gaining presidential power while undermining the use of Congress, therefore the people.

News Editor

Emily LaGrange

Staff Editorial College Costs Too Much

It is no secret that college tuition has increased dramatically in the past few years.

This dramatic increase has caused a lot of heated debate among students who ask “Is the cost of college worth it?”. To really find the answer to this question students need to wonder if the rising cost of tuition can be justified in the interest of obtaining a higher education.

An argument for the justification of this dramatic increase in tuition cost is the growing demand for student resources at public universities. These resources include student health clinics, academic counseling and outreach programs, all of which contribute to a student’s education. In order to have a diverse selection of colleges there needs to be a market for colleges to compete. However, that competition results in the raising of tuition to accommodate additional amenities, which are designed to attract students.

Despite this argument there is simply no justification for the outrageous rise in college tuition - a rate which is rising 4.5

times faster than the rate of inflation. The real problem is that these costs do not directly correlate to a student’s education.

A major factor in the rise of tuition is the constant expansion of administration and their seven digit salaries; to accommodate this spending colleges have cut back on faculty, the professors, the ones actually doing the teaching.

The cost of education does not accurately reflect its value in today’s slow economy.

An economy where 50 percent of 20-yearold graduate students are underemployed with jobs that don’t require a college degree. In recent years, the unemployment rate for the average college graduate has grown to a staggeringly high nine percent.

College costs are solely driven by competition to attract students, which decreases the amount spent on educational purposes, such as research funding, faculty training and new technology and resources. Like large drug companies, colleges simply raise tuition because they can get away with it by taking advantage of the

Annual Cost for Colleges: University of N. IowaIowa State UniversityUniversity of IowaMt. Mercy UniversityDrake UniversityCoe CollegeGrinnell College-

$16,137 $16,490 $16,692 $36,520 $43,290 $47,590 $61,098

youth without the perspective required to accurately weigh the difficulties of debt with the payoff of a college degree.

The entire student aid system has the sole purpose of compensating in-debt students for the dramatic rise in tuition. In reality, our federal-loan system just gives students an easy way to overlook debt and risk their futures. This debt can inevitably delay students from buying a house, getting married, and planning for retirement - all of which are important milestones in life.

College cost will continue to rise as long as the hot debate over its significance continues. As New York Times reporter Adam Davidson says in his article, Is College Tuition Really Too High?, the key point to always keep in mind is that “Every American benefits when every other American has access to as much schooling as he or she wants. When accessibility to higher education declines, we all end up paying for it.”

9 out of 10 Editors Agree With This Editorial CC by Tracy O

Anna Rizer

Opinions Editor

Opinion

7

CC by Wikimedia

Valentines Day: The Good, The Bad & The Lonely

Jillian Gannon Staff Writer

Valentine’s day. Some look forward to it for prospects of love and romance, while others look forward to spending time with the special someone in their lives. For others, Valentine’s day is...less than great.

Not only are you constantly reminded of couples (as they are everywhere you look), but you also are continually asked by your friends if you have a Valentine. Society, by glorifying ‘belonging’ to someone else, puts a large amount of pressure on single people to become part of a couple.

Thankfully, there are some methods to survive Valentine’s day if you find yourself alone: chocolate, old cheesy romantic movies, hanging out with friends… the list goes on. However, being alone shouldn’t be

a problem. There’s nothing wrong with being by yourself - even on a day where society expects you to have someone to spend time with.

Despite the couple aspect of Valentine’s day, it’s quickly becoming over-commercialized. There shouldn’t be Valentine’s decorations/chocolate around the start of January, just like there shouldn’t be Christmas decorations available on Halloween.

Valentine’s day has quickly become more about the material aspect than anything else.

However old-fashioned this thinking may be, couples may find that their relationship grows deeper with the amount of time spent together - without demanding

anything of the other. Sure, Valentine’s day is a good excuse to take your sweetheart out on a date to a fancy restaurant or buy them gifts. Maybe you and your significant other haven’t spent much time together recently, or you’ve been having a fight. Truth be told, practically anything can be solved between a couple by spending more time together, and actually listening to what the other has to say.

After all, to most sweethearts, saying “Happy Valentine’s day!” and spending more time together than usual is much more meaningful than a box of chocolate or flowers with no meaning.

Photo from Public Domain

Jake Truemper Staff Writer Data Match may not seem like it’s worth the two dollars, but it is a solid three minutes of fun! It’s always a great time to see the girl or guy of your dreams make it into your top ten, or see your best friend fall into the top three.

Even if you don’t fill it out honestly, it can still be fun. By filling out the most ridiculous answers, you get to see who to avoid in the hallway.

Freshmen should especially invest in 8

Opinions

Data Catch Date Match to get a head start on their new high school life. By finding people who you are a best match with, you can start friendships that will last all throughout highschool - and which, of course, slowly fall apart after graduation.

In the end, the money does go towards good things, like Student Senate’s general funds. That lets us have events like the Food Fair. So, if you do have two dollars to waste, Data Match is the thing to spend it on!

CC by hefedute

Opinions Editor

Anna Rizer

Today’s Deal With Religion

Anna Rizer Opinions Editor

It’s great when one of the best things about your country is that it was built based off the idea of freedom, and that today, your freedoms are protected through things like the First Amendment. But freedom doesn’t necessarily mean freedom from judgement.

In today’s society, it is almost impossible to express an opinion or belief without someone judging you in some way, whether it’s over a political candidate you favor, your stance on a hot debate topic, or practicing a religion. For me to openly express that I am a Christian almost immediately guarantees the judgment of others, before they even know who I am, where I come from or what I am about. Respect is a two way street, and both sides are guilty of lacking at times in this department.

A lot of the negative connotation that has to do with religion comes from the fact that people are generalizing the group as a whole based off of what a very small portion has done. It’s not always people’s fault for doing this since you get negative vibes about Christians, or just people who practice religion in general, from people like the members of the Westboro Baptist

Church and their strong campaigns against gays and protesting soldiers funerals. It doesn’t help either when a lot of today’s media focuses on the bad and/or is biased.

You may have 500 Christian or Muslims working with others in their community to better everyone as a whole, but compared to an event where maybe five Christians speak out against gays or a small group of Muslims are connected with an act or terrorism, those 500 and their work will completely be overshadowed by the deeds of the five.

It all has to do with the way people perceive it. Muslims are not terrorists, but terrorists may be Muslim, as well as any other religion or none at all. Christians are not homophobic, but some homophobes may be Christian. For many, they can’t even say that they believe in traditional marriage without being labeled homophobic, when the two are completely different things.

I’ve had so many negative encounters or situations of how people act towards me or say to me just because they found out I was a Christian before they found out anything else. It’s to the point where many religious people are afraid to state their beliefs or say

Respect Freedom Beliefs

Ignorance LGBT Terrorists

Graphic by Anna Rizer

Anna Rizer

Opinions Editor

Society

Love Religion

Community

Expression

Muslims

Hate

Atheist

Homophobic

Coexist Christians Negative Judgment

they’re religious, as if we are confessing for a horrible crime, when in reality, we’re not guilty of anything. A lot of us aren’t. We are afraid to proudly announce our religious beliefs or practices because of those who have given us a bad name or reputation.

Truth be told, I am not perfect, whether as a Christian or a human in general. And I in no way think myself higher than others; my religion doesn’t mean I am better than others. I do, however, think my religion helps me to be a better version of myself. There are so many good Christians out there, far more than there are bad ones, just like there are so many good Muslims, Jews, atheists, etc. Your beliefs don’t automatically make you a good or bad person, it’s how you choose to act or live them out.

If you take anything from this, I hope it’s that you realize that I will not judge you because of my religious beliefs, and I will give you the same respect that I think everyone should have. But respect is a two way street. Just as I respect your beliefs, I ask that you respect mine, and that makes two of us that aren’t choosing to partake in all the hate that is going on between those who are religious, and those who aren’t.

A 2014 study by the Pew Research Center found that out of the U.S. population: ~70.6% identify as Christian

~46.5% Protestant

~20.8% Roman Catholic ~6% identify with other religions

~Judaism, Buddhism, Islam

and Hinduism ~23.4% don’t identify with a religion

Opinion

9

Asbestos at Wash

Why is the state government trying to sue itself?

Molly Hunter Editor-in-Chief If you’ve been keeping up with The Surveyor, and if you’ve been reading the feature of every issue this year, then you’ve probably noticed a recurring theme. Every feature article has tried to showcase something unique about Wash - a facet of our school’s community that often goes undetected, but which adds to our school’s character.

Every feature so far has been about something positive, whether it’s the competitive nature of the underground debate world, our dedicated (and brave!) custodial staff, the hidden abilities of our security staff, or the quirky little student traditions that add color to otherwise dull Mondays.

But not everything is sunshine and rainbows here at Washington High School.

From the apropos nickname which the North Parking Lot has earned, to the racial and economic disparities that scent the air here, Wash has plenty of features that most students and faculty try to tiptoe around. There are definitely discussions that we should work on having out in the open, but let’s start by tackling something a little smaller. For right now, let’s shed a little light on what threats may be lurking within the very walls of our school.

ASBESTOS

Some students and staff probably know that, last July, in the midst of summer construction and renovation, our school building was shut down for several days after unacceptable levels of asbestos were detected in the air.

Abatement Specialists, the asbestos removal contractor that was partnered with the school district, was called in to deal with the problem, and the building quickly reopened.

Normally, the story would stop there however, early in December of 2015, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources 10

Feature

(DNR) pushed the state Attorney General to sue the Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD), as well as Abatement Specialties, for: 1. Failing to remove all regulated asbestos-containing material before demolition 2. Failing to keep the material wet enough 3. Failing to seal it in leak-tight containers So, what happened? Did Abatement Specialties mess up? If so, why is the school district also at fault? Above all, is or was anyone in any danger?

THE BACKGROUND

Asbestos was most commonly used as a construction material between the 1940s and 1960s. It should, therefore, come as no surprise that asbestos would be found at Wash, since the building opened in 1957 right in that asbestos sweet spot.

When doing asbestos removal, abatement specialists are most concerned about friable material.

Friable material is asbestos-containing material which is soft or weak enough that very light pressure will break it, thus releasing dangerous asbestos fibers and particles into the air. This means that, as a rule, asbestos used in floor tiles is typically far less dangerous than asbestos used in popcorn ceilings, because floor tiles are way more durable.

Unfortunately, Abatement Specialties, the company contracted with the district for the asbestos removal, did not return our request for comment. Thankfully, however, we were able to get in contact with David Reisner of Active Thermal Concepts Inc. In construction, Reisner says, “Asbestos was a great product to spray on to high beams and things to get a fire-resistance, because asbestos...has the tensile strength of steel and it takes a chemical fire to burn

it.”

This means that placement of asbestos often largely depended on where a building needed flame retardancy and structural support.

“Where you find it in,” Reisner explains, “is pipe insulation, and the...elbows of the pipe insulation - it’s a different material, still asbestos, but just different… [Also in] tank insulations, mechanical rooms, crawlspaces, and...fireproofing.”

Sadly, asbestos is still legally used in some products in the United States, such as clothing, vinyl roof tile, cement pipes, disk brake pads, roofing coatings, and many others (check out ‘asbestos’ on the EPA website for more information).

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, it can take anywhere from ten to 40 years for symptoms of mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses to appear. Typically, though, people who are diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses suffered prolonged, regular exposure to high amounts of asbestos over many years.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that the permissible exposure limit is .1 fibers of asbestos per cubic centimeter of air (f/cc), based upon an eight-hour time weighted average. The short term exposure limit is the same, at .1 f/cc, based on a 30 minute sampling period.

It’s worth noting, though, that there is some skepticism about the potential health risks involved in short term exposure. As a general rule in life, the human body can, after all, handle most things in moderation.

As for asbestos abatement and removal itself, the processes which go on are highly regulated.

According to Reisner, “If you don’t know [asbestos] is there...generally they look at it

Editor-in-Chief

Molly Hunter

and if it looks like it could be, we pull a sample, take it to a lab, and the lab tells us yes or no… Generally in older schools in the walls, it’s going to be asbestos.”

“Everything we do should be done in a

leave through that.”

Regular air tests are then done to make sure the containment is tight, and no asbestos is getting out. Water is then added to cut down on airborne fibers.

plastic bubble,” Reisner continues.” “If it’s a whole room or area, then you need a big bubble. You have to install negative air machines, and those are equipped with three filters. Any air that leaves is supposed to

After the asbestos has all been collected, Reisner says, “It should be contained within two bags of 6-millimeter polyethylene thickness, or more... Secondarily, you should put it in an enclosed truck or dum-

pster that should also be buried or wrapped with another layer of 6-mm poly.”

THE SITUATION HERE

The DNR claims that the dangerous exposure period lasted from June 8 until July 15 - that’s a little over a month. Considering the fact that anyone who could’ve been at Wash during that time period would’ve been in a completely different part of the building than where the asbestos removal was taking place - on top of the low likelihood of short-term exposure being harmful - it’s HIGHLY unlikely that anyone at Wash was, or is, in any danger at all. On top of all of that, the process of abating asbestos is certainly complicated enough that, when it was explained it to me, I could see that there are many steps along the way where small, unintentional slip-ups may be made. Honest mistakes do happen.

So why would the DNR still want the attorney general to sue?

Reisner says that abatement companies in Iowa are governed by two agencies: “We have Iowa OSHA, and then we have the EPA, or in Iowa it’s the DNR, that enforces the EPA regulations… OSHA’s going to be worried about employees, occupants of the area - the DNR is worried about air quality in general.”

Reisner goes on to say that, “Because the DNR has the responsibility of protecting the air and everybody’s right to that air… they’re going to always take more action if they feel like there’s blatancy or lack of control...whether anyone was really exposed.”

Basically, that means that the DNR is “just following up”. In case something actually went wrong, they can’t look like they’re willing to let anyone get away with negligence.

Is all of this still pretty harsh? Yes, but then, according to Reisner, “Schools have a unique set of rules...which is at a higher standard.”

Does that mean that the CRCSD is in any way at fault? No, but due to the nature of asbestos litigation, both the abatement contractor (in this case, Abatement Specialties) and the owner of the building in question (the CRCSD) are liable.

Image by Seth Keppler

Molly Hunter

Editor-in-Chief

Feature

11

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Profiles and Business Manager

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Emily Burke

The Real “Pizza Party Ben” Freshman Matthew Andersland Staff Writer

Everyone likes good pizza. In Cedar Rapids, to get “good” pizza many people will have to drive for 20+ minutes and pay a lot of money, making eating “good” pizza a rarity. Ben Hunter, ’18, a student here at Wash, decided that he wanted good pizza to be something that he would be able to experience more often, so he took matters into his own hands.

That right - he built himself a pizza oven.

“I really like pizza,” said Hunter on the subject of why he built the oven. “I was fed up with the fact that I had to spend $20 and drive across town to get a good pizza, so I thought, why not just build my own oven?”

Hunter started this building project five months ago, when he got fed up with having to pay through the nose for good pizza.

He worked with his dad to build it, and they ended up spending hours over the summer in their backyard, laying cement and waiting for it to dry. Hunter said that they worked on the oven for the most part every day/ every couple of days but a lot of weekends they were out of town going on college visits for his sister so that slowed down the process a bit.

“The oven is built around a fire inside.

We take anything flammable, like sticks, then light the fire.” Hunter usually waits around ten minutes after lighting the fire to get a decent temperature, then puts the pizza inside the oven to cook.

“I put cheese and tomato sauce on pizza dough, and stick it in the oven for around five minutes, and pull it out, and I have a pizza,” said Hunter.

Emily Burke

“Ben starts with the dough then he puts on the homemade sauce then he puts on a thin slice of mozzarella (it looks like a whale pimple) then we grate parmesan over the top of everything then we put basil thyme and rosemary over the top and then put it in the oven when we take it out of the oven we put olive oil on top.” said Ben’s sister, Molly Hunter, ’16.

The fastest pizza that Hunter has made took only 90 seconds. “It was a little doughy on the bottom, but still edible. I was seeing how fast I would be able to make a pizza.”

Hunter gave us a simplified version of all the hard work that really goes into making a brick oven pizza, but there is a lot to consider. If you mess it up, you could end up with a scorched burnt abomination of a pizza, or a doughy puddle of uncooked pizza ingredients. As you can imagine, the entire pizza is on the line.

Hunter currently is best at making cheese pizza, as it is the only kind of pizza he has tried to make so far. He plans to someday expand and attempt to make pepperoni, and after he masters that he will try to pursue even more exotic and exciting flavors.

Hunter has an instagram account filled with pictures of his oven and pizzas that he has made, called @thepowerpfpizzacompelsusall. Feel free to check it out if you are interested in more pizza pictures from Hunter.

Hunter was inspired to build the oven based purely on his love for pizza, and he recommends that anyone else who loves pizza does the same.

Bachelorette of the Month

Emily Burke Profiles Editor & Business Manager

Photo by Emily Burke

Blonde hair. Blue eyes. A beaming personality. If any of these traits interest you, continue reading.

This month’s single freshman comprises all of the above traits and more, however unlike past issues, this month does not feature a bachelor - it features a bachelorette. That’s right, February’s FBOM is Ella Peckosh, ’19.

This winter, Peckosh can be found dancing and singing on stage with her fellow performers in Vivace, along with competing with the other thesbians in her speech ensemble. This past fall, she swam for the Women’s Swimming and Diving team. Peckosh plans to continue to race for the Warriors in the pool for the next few years to come.

When asked what her ideal date would be, Peckosh said, “A movie and probably dinner before or after or something like that.”

If you consider yourself a “nice and smart” young man with exceptionally white teeth, you may want to consider asking Peckosh to go on a date that includes her favorite food, mac and cheese.

After all, it is the ‘Month of Love’.

Photos Courtesy of the Hunter Family

Business Manager and Profiles Editor

Profiles

13

UNI Scholarships Offered to Two Washington Athletes Myriah Rodriguez CRWashSurveyor.com Reporter

Isaiah Nimmers and Alex Herzog, both ‘16, have committed to the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) for their academic and athletic achievements.

Nimmers and Herzog have developed a “brother relationship” due to their long time friendship. Going to the same college and doing something the boys both love has made a new chapter of their friendship.

“Growing up, me and Isaiah have always been beside eachother. We always pushed each other to be better. It’s weird knowing that we’re going to the same college but it’s also pretty cool knowing that pretty much our whole childhood we’ve been playing beside each other.” said Herzog.

“I feel great knowing someone that I have grown up with is going to the same college as me. Over the years Alex became a better person and athlete. He’s had an impressive work ethic since we’ve known each other. If he keeps doing what he’s doing he’ll be able to get far with track.” Nimmers said.

Although football season has ended, Nimmers gave it his all and committed to UNI his senior year on Nov. 22, 2015. “UNI showed me some love after my junior year.

It felt good that UNI made me an offer.

They really wanted me. They came early and didn’t waste time. I received offers from South Dakota and Illinois State but I chose UNI because they feel like a family up there. Everybody accepts you at UNI,” Nimmers said.

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UNI Panther courtesy of the University of Northern Iowa home page

Photo Courtesy of Isaiah Nimmers

Sophomore and junior track season were when Herzog started to take the sport more seriously. “I started to run track in the seventh grade and have been doing it ever since. My junior year, I improved a lot more and that’s when I started getting serious about running. UNI contacted me and I went for a visit that year,” Herzog said.

Herzog chose UNI because he felt like the college is a second home. “When I visited, it felt like home. Everybody was so loving and accepting. UNI offers me a lot of support with tutoring. Just everything you need to be successful,” Herzog said.

Herzog also got an offer from Western Illinois but declined and accepted UNI’s offer senior year on Sept. 28, 2015. “It was honestly a dream come true when they offered me a full ride...I’ve always wanted a scholarship since I was little and to play at the highest level and to hopefully become a professional athlete. But that’s to be continued,” Herzog said.

Herzog’s family has also been very supportive of his decision to go to UNI. “He’s my brother and I’m happy that he’s able to do all of this and I think my mom and my step dad, his father, are all very proud,” said Matthew Haile, ‘19.

Haile has seen Herzog grow as a competitor and as a person, “Overall he performs really well as an athlete. I remember we went to the same elementary school for a couple of years and in the gym they had a board up and it listed the fastest person in the school to run the track; Alex was the first for the longest time. When I saw him run track I was like ‘Holy cow, how are you doing that!?’ I’m someone who’s not that interested in sports and it’s a little boring to watch, but I’m always happy to watch Alex run.”

Ralph Plagman [Washington’s principal] and Maurice Blue [defensive coach for football and head track coach at Washington] both think highly of Herzog and Nimmers due to their performances in high school and offers from UNI. “We

Business Manager and Profiles Editor

Photo Courtesy of Alex Herzog

think UNI football is very lucky to have Zeke [Nimmers]. He should be a star there so that’s awesome,” Plagman said.

Coach Blue agrees. “Zeke will have an opportunity to play right away. They’re losing their top three corners and he’s going to play defensive back. ” Blue said.

UNI has recently lost two of their former track coaches. “UNI has a new coach, a young former UNI guy so he’s way interested in getting the program back to where it was. So if UNI comes calling for track, it’s kind of a big deal,” Blue said.

Both Nimmers and Herzog both take their academic responsibilities as serious as their athletic responsibilities. “For football, graduation rates tie into the number of scholarships you can have. So you can’t have a guy who you think is an academic risk. With track it’s the same thing, they can’t afford guys that are going to be gone for a season because they can’t pack it academically. Both sets of parents have done a great job making sure these boys have succeeded academically. They’re very supportive,” Blue said.

Plagman is very proud of these two Warrior athletes. “Alex and Zeke are representatives for Wash at UNI. I feel great about that and I’m proud of them,” Plagman said.

Profiles

Emily Burke

Mr. Mason-Marshall’s Stanford Experience

Anna Rizer Opinions Editor

Gold body paint. Climbing electrical fences.

Energy drinks. Stanford marching band. English teacher.

Jacob Mason-Marshall is one of the many talented teachers at Washington High School, who just so happened to be in the ’09 graduating class at Stanford University.

Moreover, he was a member of the marching band, but don’t hold the 2016 Rose Bowl against him, as he ‘was rooting for Iowa’.

As a kid who started playing the trombone in fifth grade and was active in his high school marching band, it’s no surprise that music affected his decision when choosing a college. Upon attending a college visit to Stanford, he was left with the thoughts of ‘oh my god, that’s so cool’ after having seen a rally take place where the Stanford band all ran out,

Emily Burke

jumped in the middle of a water fountain, and starting playing their instruments.

“The very first week of school, I went out and joined the band right away, and I stayed in the band all four years,” Mason-Marshall said.

With membership in the Stanford band comes its share of wild stories, including: climbing to the top of a stadium while playing on top of a folding chair, climbing an electrical fence (not knowing it was electrical at the time) and playing, dressing up as Xerxes from the movie 300 in all gold body paint, as well as a rockette (the women who do the kickline).

Stanford band attacked Iowans and farmers and made us look like cow-tippers and hillbillies, hicks...that doesn’t offend me, not because I may think it’s true, because compared to some of the other things they’ve done to other schools, this was tame,” MasonMarshall said.

Some examples that MasonMarshall could think of was when the band played at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, the band’s conductor married five different women on the field to make fun of Mormons and the idea of polygamy. The Stanford band is now banned from ever played at BYU in the future.

“What I loved about Stanford is that it has a sense of humor and it’s just kind of more human...”

“I made a lot of friends and that was really good, but one thing that happened is that I became two different people,” Mason-Marshall said, “Jacob was a very committed and good student who went to all of his classes, but then there was my alter-ego...in the band you’re given a nickname, and mine was Diego.

For some Iowans, when they now hear someone mention the Stanford band, it can bring up hateful thoughts due to the Stanford band’s halftime show at the Rose Bowl, but MasonMarshall isn’t entirely fazed.

“It seems like most people are offended by the way the

Section

Another incident is when the band traveled to Notre Dame and the conductor dressed up like a pregnant nun.

“So on that scale, I don’t see it as any worse than things we’ve done in the past,” MasonMarshall said, “That being said, as for things like forcing underclassman to drink until the point they throw up, lewd and offensive songs about rape and just awful sexual things... that to me is the problem with the Stanford band.”

While the band does appear to have a dark side, MasonMarshall enjoyed a lot of his experiences that came with it, and also attending Stanford in

general.

“What I loved about Stanford is that it has a sense of humor and it’s just kind of more human. I felt more respected and I didn’t feel as much competition,” MasonMarshall said.

One of his most memorable experiences at Stanford is when he was attending his freshmen year in 2005-06, and was taking a class that surveyed the greatest works of literature. Being able to live with his fellow students in the class, they had late-night common room parties where they would pull all-nighters, work on essays, would discuss the most crazy things and laugh, describing it as an ‘intellectual playground’. “It was just so much fun and that year specifically inspired me to teach the way I teach,” MasonMarshall said.

Photos courtesy of Mr. M’s Facebook

Profiles

15

Jonathan Melander Multi Media Editor

E-sports for the Win

When you think of an athlete, what do you think of? Typically a person with a pretty muscular build, a well balanced and healthy diet, and lots of friends. Well, there’s a new athlete on the block, with significantly less muscle mass, a diet consisting of Doritos and Mt. Dew, and very minimal human contact. That’s right: the competitive gamer.

In early 2003 a game platform named Steam was released. Little did its creator, Valve Corporation, know that it would explode into the leading source for PC gaming. Steam is an online store where you can digitally buy and download games, as well as a social media interface where you can add friends and play multiplayer games with them. This was the big launch of competitive gaming and many students at Wash, including myself, can be found on the platform.

“I game because it’s fun, and it’s something that I can do with my friends that we all like to do,” said Matthew Andersland, ’17.

While it may not be the healthiest hobby, gaming does offer something for students

Photo from Steam

to do, which both keeps them out of trouble, and presents an opportunity for shy people to make friends.

Competitive gaming isn’t just a hobby, either - in fact, lots of people actually make a living playing online games like CounterStrike Global Offensive and Call of Duty.

The players rise through the leaderboards on the games and grab the attention of large gaming equipment companies, like Logitech and Razer, and get sponsored. At that point, the players literally get paid to just maintain their leaderboard rankings and promote the company’s products, with lots of them easily making six figures a year from it.

Online competitive gaming is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, drawing players from all over the world, so we’d all better get used to seeing it around for a while.

Bowling: Is it a Sport?

Brandon Cullen Sports Editor Bowling.

It’s the most overlooked sport - in fact, most don’t even consider it to be a sport at all.

However, some students and coaches think differently and say that while it doesn’t take athletic skill, it does take skill to play.

Bowlers like Chris Schuttloffel, ’17 - who has been bowling for nine years - say it’s a fun game to play. The best part about bowling for Schuttloffel is having fun and being with friends.

During practice they work on their technique and adjusting to the lane conditions. Traditions that the bowling team has for meets is that they bowl bakers games, which is a series of games where five people bowl in one game, while taking turns.

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Sports

John Taylor, ’16, started bowling because his friends were doing it, and because you get to bowl once or twice a week for free.

Taylor said, “It’s fun to mess around and beat...people, even if you’re not good.”

Taylor thinks that the meets are the best part about bowling, and that the team atmosphere is competitive - especially during bakers. When asked if he believes that bowling is a sport Taylor said, “Yes, not a team sport like golf, it takes more skill than you think, but not athletic.”

Men’s bowling coach, Monica Reeves, began as an assistant coach here at Wash in 2005. She worked as an assistant coach for two years, but has now been the head coach for eight years. Reeves thinks that bowling is most like golf, because you have to be accurate and it takes more skill than

athleticism.

Bowling is mostly different from other sports because you don’t have to do the conditioning or physical training as in other sports. Reeves said, “It’s been a really enjoyable year; the students this year are enjoyable and there haven’t been any problems with grades.”

Photo by Kyle Phillips

Sports Editor

Brandon Cullen

Iowa

Tyler McGuire Staff Writer

Where Spartans Go To Die

If the Iowa football team losing to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship was heart-wrenching for you, worry no longer, the Iowa basketball team has certainly stepped their game up by beating the top ranked Michigan State Spartans not once, but twice.

In their first game against Michigan State, the Hawkeyes beat the Spartans by 13 points with a score of 70 to 83. Some people may call this game an upset, but I disagree. The Hawks were favored by 2.5 points over the Spartans in Las Vegas.

Therefore, the game couldn’t have been an upset.

Gunnar Bosking

Sports Editor

In their second meeting, the Hawks traveled down to East Lansing to play the Spartans once again. Since most people thought the first game was a fluke, Michigan State was again heavily favored.

Alex Slattery, ’18 has been a lifelong Michigan State fan. “I’m a Spartan fan living in Iowa and everyone hates me for it,” said Slattery.

“I for sure think that Iowa is a good team, but Michigan State wasn’t at full strength.

If they would’ve been, then they for sure would’ve beaten Iowa,” said Slattery.

With Iowa ranked third (as of press time) the Hawks seem to be headed in the

Herky: CC by Fmcclaery Sparty: CC by Joel Dinda Basketball Photos: Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette

right direction.

“I think Iowa is good, but don’t be surprised if they lose in the first round of the NCAA Tournament,” said Slattery.

It would seem that people are so quick to doubt the Hawkeyes. If they’re winning, then people say that they haven’t played anyone good. If they lose, then people say that the Hawkeyes are bad.

With players like Jarrod Uthoff and Peter Jok, and a coach like Fran McCaffery, the Hawks are certainly in good hands.

If Iowa keeps winning and playing like they are, then the NCAA Tournament title is totally in reach.

Sports

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#D1orDNone CC by Saathoff37 Photos from Surveyor Archives

Sarah Altemeier Staff Writer I’m too sore. I’m tired. It’s too hot. I can’t breathe. It’s too early. I’ll do it tomorrow.

It’s too late. For sophomore Andrew Todd and junior O’Rien Vance these are only excuses. The two have put in work this last season and have dedication and drive that not all others do. And their work has started to pay off; they both received offers to play football for Iowa State University on December 16, 2015.

Standing at 6’4”, Todd plays offensive tackle and started his football career in fourth grade, “I always knew I wanted to play further than high school, it’s been a dream since I was little.”

“The recruiting process is pretty crazy. Basically you put your game film together, send it out, and hope for the best.

Our coaches do a lot of the work. I had no idea ISU was even looking at me. As a sophomore, I figured no one would take a chance on me, but I’m very honored and thankful they saw my film and decided I was worth a shot, ” said Todd.

Paul James, Washington football head coach, spoke about Todd, “Andrew, he’s only a sophomore. He’s got a good set of tools right now, a lot of it is based on his strength and ability as a young player knowing that there is a lot of potential.

He’s got a number of things to learn as an offensive lineman, but he’s in a really good position considering he’s only a tenth grader.”

Todd decided his favorite thing about football, “My favorite thing about the game is being a part of something bigger than yourself. The energy of the game is addictive. Being out on the field with my teammates is probably my favorite part.”

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Sports

O’Rien Vance is 6’2’’ and plays linebacker and tight end. He started playing football in fifth or sixth grade and claimed he decided he wanted to play beyond high school when he started to “get good.”

Vance’s recruiting process was different from Todd’s.

“I knew Iowa State was interested.

When I got the offer, they had been messaging me all morning. When I got home from school, they texted me and told me to call them.

I called them and I spoke to everyone on the staff and then the head coach gave me the offer.”

“O’Rien is the most valuable defensive player in our district, as a junior, so he’s got a lot of extremely good attributes: quickness, strength, natural sense of where the ball is at, and he likes to hit. He’s continuously working on increasing his strength. That’s probably the biggest thing going into the next level; size and speed and strength,” James said.

Vance’s favorite parts about the game are simple, “My favorite things are mostly just having fun and being able to hit people for no reason.”

Both have very distinct pre-game rituals. Before the game, Todd meditates with Throndson.

Meanwhile Vance is busy tying and retying his shoes, “Before every game I change my shoes. I go from my school shoes to my cleats, back to my school shoes, and so on.

I really don’t know why. I have to listen to music the entire time before the game.”

Washington didn’t quite make it to the dome this year, but with players like Todd and Vance returning for the 2016 season, the football team has a bright future.

Sports Editor

Gunnar Bosking

Evolution of the Biebs Sarah Altemeier Staff Writer Later he decided to bleach it blonde, and in recent Instagram photos the locks appear purple.

Skyla Atkins, ’18, isn’t a huge fan of Bieber’s hair decisions. “I’ve never really liked any of his hairstyles, but he still has always been very attractive.”

If people are asked about who they think Bieber is dating at the moment, I’m guessing most would say Selena. The two have been on-and-off for quite some time.

Bieber admitted in interviews that some of his new songs were about Selena, however there is a new girl being featured on his social media accounts, Hailey Baldwin, a well-known model.

Atkins doesn’t really approve of either girl, “I am not team Jelena. Justin and Selena have always been on and off - however I am more of a team Skyla and Justin.”

As Justin matures, his song lyrics have also shifted. He went from singing lyrics like, ”Love me, love me. Say that you love me. Fool me, fool me. Oh how you do me.

Kiss me, kiss me. Say that you miss me. Tell me what I wanna hear. Tell me you love me,” in his My World album to “‘Cause if

you like the way you look that much, oh baby, you should go and love yourself.

And if you think that I’m still holdin’ on to somethin’, you should go and love yourself,” in his latest drop of 2015, Purpose.

The first song was titled “Love Me”, whereas the latter is “Love Yourself ”.

Ashley Chipokas, ’18, has favorites from the baby Justin and grown. “My favorite is “Baby” because it’s a classic, and more recent would probably be ‘I’ll Show You.’” Thomas Corbett, ’18, loves listening to JB, “I like Bieber because he is a god.”

Some people are simply just too busy for the artist; Nick Nassif, ’16, said, “I’m an athlete, I’m not interested in Justin Bieber.”

While others are indecisive, Charlie Schwieger, ’17, tells me, “I’m not sure how I feel about Justin Bieber to be honest, but, my Mama don’t like him and she likes everyone.”

It’s crazy that we’ve seen Justin in all of his high and low points, but yet, only the very lucky, have actually met him. We’ve formed opinions, but don’t actually know what he is like. Maybe he is a tool, but for the record, I’m definitely a “Belieber”.

CC by wikimedia.org, Joe Bielawa

New year, new Justin? From a sweet 15-year-old heartthrob, to a teenage delinquent, to his so-called “redemption”, we’ve seen the evolution of Justin Bieber through our TVs, phones, and other technologies.

The singer is always wearing new threads. He began with the classic purple hoodie. Next you could see him wearing leather jackets and tuxedos. Then there was the all-black-wearing Bieber, no shirtwearing Bieber, and then orange-jumpsuitwearing Bieber. Nowadays you can usually find him wearing a long t-shirt, jeans, and some gold chains.

Jabe Gonder, ’16, says, “Bieber is a role model for a lot of people as shown by the fashion section in the last issue of the Surveyor. He’s a modern icon, but a confused individual trying to figure out life in a variety of ways.”

The Biebz never fails to attend a new barber shop every time he gets his hair styled. He began with the side swoop that had every one’s attention with a simple head flick. Eventually the hair went from being pushed sideways to more upward as his mug shot shows it styled up.

Addi Westpheling

A&E Editor

A&E

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Dollar Date Billy Lemos Staff Writer When you’re deciding where to go to for your dinner date on Valentine’s Day, there’s only one thing to consider: money. Don’t go to some expensive restaurant like Biaggi’s when you could spend a mere dollar on a high quality McDonald’s cheeseburger or a Fritos burrito from Taco Bell.

You simply must not settle for any item with a higher price than a dollar. You may feel like a cheapskate, but remember that the key behind all of this is the value. Although you may have considered some of the other fast food restaurants like KFC and Wendy’s, they simply don’t provide enough bang for your buck.

But, if you can’t resist the urge to go to KFC, make sure you purchase the Double Down burger for its excellent nutritional health values. And, if you instead end up taking a trip to Wendy’s, you simply must buy the broccoli cheese baked potato again, for its nutritional value.

If all of this isn’t enough to change your mind about that expensive Valentine’s Day dinner you were planning, then the simple convenience of no required reservations should be enough to persuade you into choosing a fast food restaurant over a socalled “real restaurant”. Besides, what could possibly be more

enticing than some authentic pink slime cuisine at your local drive-thru?

However, if you do run out of options, remember that there’s never any shame in going dumpster diving, an activity which - if done correctly and efficiently - often generates better meals than what can be found at any fast food chain. Just make sure no one sees you rooting around in the trash that’s a punishable offense in some states.

Downton Abbey Grace Kline Staff Writer Do Mrs. Hues and Carson actually get married? What will become of Anna and Bates? Will Mary ever find a replacement for Matthew? Can Edith ever find true happiness again? These are the questions on every fan’s mind as they hear the opening credits of the first episode of the final season of Downton Abbey.

Downton Abbey is a British drama that shows the changes that occurred in England as a result of World War I. The first season is pre-war, the second during, and all the rest are of the much-altered post-war England.

The Earl of Grantham struggles to adjust himself and the family’s style of living in a new era where the old aristocracy has to make way for the up-and-coming middle class. At the beginning of season six, the eldest daughter of the Granthams, Mary, takes an increasing interest in the running 20

A&E

of the estate in these changing times, while Edith, her sister, keeps busy with a London publishing company she inherited.

The first episode did not disappoint. The problems between Anna and Bates were finally resolved, although another issue has introduced itself, as it always does. While it was touch and go for a little bit, Mrs. Hues and Carson are definitely getting married. The outfits were spectacular, and the dialogue was as witty as ever. The only big question remaining for the rest of the season to focus on is “What is in store for Mary and Edith?”

The rest of the season promises to be just as good. Sneak peeks revealed stunning costumes, new romances, and ongoing rivalries for the aristocracy upstairs, and a shaking of the ground for the servants downstairs.

If you have never seen Downton Abbey, or just stopped watching, I strongly encourage you to catch up so that you can watch each episode as it airs for the first time in the U.S. A new episode plays each Sunday night on IPTV at 8:00 pm. It’s a nice way to relax and get away from school before a new week starts.

CC by en.wikipedia.org, lafiguradelpadre Congreso

A&E Editor

Addi Westpheling

Best Sled Slopes in CR

Rielle Jones-Teske Multimedia Editor

If winter has one redeeming quality, it is that it provides sledding weather. That being said, you need to know where to go sledding. Here are three places that have made it to the top of our “best hill’s list”:

#1 Location: Hole #2 at the Cedar Rapids Country Club Very accessible Student approval: “There are no trees, just a big beautiful open hill!”

-Clay Linge, ‘17

#2 Location: Squaw Creek is on a road that branches off of East Post Road, so it has a pretty accessible location.

Student approval: “It’s a super wide and long hill, and it has no obstacles which helps you not die!” -Melissa Tormene, ’16 “It’s the best place to sled because it’s a gigantic hill.”

-Frank Lindwall, ’17

#3 Location: Bever Park (AKA, very accessible) Student approval: “It’s very steep and secluded, so it’s a great place to sled.”

-Jabe Gonder, ’16

Photos by Brandon Cullen

Addi Westpheling

A&E Editor

A&E

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Let’s take things slow.

To:

From:

We go together like &

To: From:

To:

Are you made of Copper and Tellurium, because you’re

From: I’d spend all 9 lives with you.

To: From:

Rowr ahragh awf ahraroww rowh rohngr grgrff rf ...r To: From:

Chewbacca picture: CC by Bonnie Burton Peanut butter: CC by Wikimedia Jelly: CC by public domain Cats: CC by Sue Tupling Elements: CC by Wikimedia Internet Explorer: CC by Wikimedia

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Profiles and Business Manager

Give one of these to the special person in your life this Valentine’s Day.

Ads

Emily Burke

VALENTINE’S DAY PLAYLIST Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart) - Ricky Nelson A Sunday Kind of Love - Etta James I’ve Got You Under My Skin - Frank Sinatra Lover - Devendra Banhart I Think I Love You - Waxahatchee

Faculty Funnies “I could use a sugar daddy.” -Mr. Clancy “Shut your crêpe-holes!” -Mr. Hill “Guns don’t kill people, literary devices kill people.”

-Mr. M “What do you mean ‘do they still make porn’? Of course they still make porn!” -Mr. M

I Do - Ellen Once Again The Girl - City & Colour,

“KENNY PLUME!” -Mr. Throndson

Blue Eyes Blind - ZZ Ward Looking Out For You - Joy Again Baby I’m Yours - Breakbot Big Ass Love - The Crash When You’re Smiling and Astride Me - Father John Misty You Make Me Wanna Die - The Shivas Thinkin Bout You - Frank Ocean Ooo - Karen O Think I’m in Love - Beck Wet Dreamz - J.Cole Fooled Around and Fell in Love - Elvin Bishop Come and Get Your Love - The Runaways

Roses &

Jeb Bush David Bowie’s life Finals are over Valentine’s Day IA Football in Top 10 Roses Milk chocolate ;) Star Wars Powerball Sledding Mac money!

El Chapo got caught

Gimme All Your Love - Alabama Shakes

Thorns

Subzero temperatures Shovelling driveways Unshovelled driveways Valentine’s Day Not having a boothang Caucus Our election cycle Super liberals Powerball Branstad’s budget cuts “Facts” by Kanye Jock Lot parking

CC by Barbara Williams2010 and Greg Hume

I Love You So - The Walters Come What May - David Baerwald We’re Going To Be Friends - The White Stripes Dive In - Trey Songz Motivation - Kelly Rowland Blind Man - SPZRKT

WHY WOULD YOU PARK THERE

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Molly Hunter

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