THE TRIPLE S
IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
INTRO.WSSPAPER.COM
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1
E K A L : D CLOSE S S E R G IN PRO
MAY 25, 2018
TABLE CONTENTS OF
from the
LETTER EDITOR Hello readers! The school year’s almost over, with just a few more finals to suffer through! Summer’s coming, and it’s gonna be awesome. If you don’t what to do, check out our summer activities page for some quick inspiration. Unfortunately, Kent Park won’t be on that list. If you haven’t heard, it’s closed. :( But, it’s all good, since when reopens next summer, it’ll better than before. Our cover story will uncover the story behind its closing and renovation process. This publication has been a lot of hard work, but at the same time, it’s like the icing on the cake for this class. It’s been a long year, especially for me, but we’re almost done. Good luck to all those taking their finals, I know you’ll rock them. I truly hope you enjoy the first and only edition of The Triple S.
Chen-You Wu
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Feature
SUMMER ACTIVITES
08
Opinion
INTO THE TRASH
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Cover
CLOSED: LAKE IN PROGRESS
Entertainment
HERMAN’S SERMONS
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06 UNIQUE HOMES
14 FLAMING FOODS
DESIGN BY CHEN-YOU
SUMMER ACTIVITIES
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F E AT U R E
MAY 22, 2018
By the time school gets out, it gets warm and you start doing stuff with friends. Even if you’re working three jobs, you still need time to get out and enjoy the heat before the frigid winter returns. Here are some tips to keep your summer days jam-packed with fun activities.
GET LOST!
When summer is around, you want to be outside and enjoy the warm weather. So get lost on one of our many local hiking trails around Johnston County. Some local easy hiking trails are at Coralville Reservoir, Terry Trueblood, Lake McBride, and many more. One of the most popular trail is Woodpecker Trail at Coralville Reservoir. Some of these trails can be paved and some can have more of a rustic look. No matter what trail you’re on, it gets you outside to get out, enjoy nature, and get some fresh air.
FISH OUT OF WATER
In and around Iowa City, we have many places where we can fish. Some of the most popular places are Lake Macbride, the Coralville Lake, and the Iowa River. Other options to consider areTerry Trueblood and the Dam Complex. One thing that might stop you is a fishing license, which you can find at your Fin and Feather (this is $19). After that, you can fish anywhere you can, if it’s legal. The local fish we have are catfish, bass, trout, and many more. Fishing pole raised in the sky By: Hunter Herman ‘18
Brennon Keen ‘18 fishing at the Coralville Lake
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F E AT U R E
JUMP INTO SUMMER
MAY 22, 2018
Have you ever jumped off the cliffs at Coralville Lake? Even if you have, it’s a must when it comes to summer experiences. If you’re afraid of jumping off cliffs, you can bring a hammock to relax or you can go on hikes around Lake including the most favorited Woodpecker Trail. Also, make sure you jump far enough and that the water is high. During the summer, the water will be high enough for you to jump but to be safe it’s always good to check. Photo taken on Squire Point Trail Pagliai’s at a peaceful 10:30 at night
NEW THINGS
Downtown Iowa City has many countless opportunities for you to try some great food. If you’re a pizza lover, go out and try Pagliai’s, but if you’re in the mood for Mexican food, try out El Cactus. El Cactus is known for there one dollar tacos on Taco Tuesday. Pagliai’s is a very great thin crust pizza, but all they serve is pizza. They don’t serve salad or any appetizers, but you can get a hot fresh pizza with there finest ingredients. Iowa City appeals to a wide demographic with many different types of cuisines for everyone to try.
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F E AT U R E
MAY 22, 2018
Unique Homes Today we have a collection of photos of interesting and unique homes around Iowa City, from a stucco home to an old sailor looking home right next to the Iowa River.
Old sailors home next to the Iowa River Located on Brown Street
The larger of the three stoned homes Located on Muscatine Ave
Brown sleck home Located on Hutchinson Ave
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F E AT U R E
MAY 22, 2018
Old witches house? Located on Park Road
Small stoned house surrounded by two more little homes that look identical Located on Muscatine Ave
Spanish style Stucco Home Located on Brown Street
How many triangles can you see in this house? Located on Lexington Ave
By: Hunter Herman ’18
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OPINION MAY 25, 2018
INTO THE TR A SH
Throughout my life, I’ve seen an ineffable amount of food go to waste in America. It almost seems to normal. But I find that’s not as true in Asia, not even close.
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BY CHEN-YOU WU
henever I walk through a cafeteria, or past empty tables at a restaurant in America, it always appalls me how much food is either in the trash or left on the plate. I ask myself, “Why? Why are people so wasteful? Contrary to the United States most people in Asia don’t waste food in such a large quantity. According to one website, Care2, the US has an average food waste of 632 pounds per person per year. Compare that to China, which wastes on average 97 pounds of food BY TH E per person per year. Though I’m not certain, I’m pretty sure this is occuring due to culture differences. Asian parents (this includes anyone from/in Asia, not just China, Japan, or Korea, such as Thailand, Philippines, India, etc) tend to teach their children starting at a very young age not to be wasteful of food. If you’ve taken the Iowa Assessments, you might recall that one article in the reading section about the Asian girl and not wasting food. It talks about how she was taught to eat everything on her plate, and never take more than she would eat, even if it meant refusing the host. Similarly, I find most Asians are taught that we should try to eat everything on our plate, down to the last grain of rice. If we can’t then we put it in a container and save it for another day. I’m sure many American families do this at as well. Yet out in the public, people paint a very different picture. Wasting food almost seems second nature to many Americans. If it’s at a restaurant and the food is disgusting, then I understand. But that is typically not the case. For example, I’ve seen many people throw away a perfectly good apple or banana simply because it’s slightly mushy in one area. I’ve seen perfectly appetizing food dumped into a trash. Rarely have I seen someone of Asian descent doing that. One of the biggest areas I see this problem is in school cafeterias. I find the amount of food children throw away unbelievable. Yes, I understand children tend to fairly picky eaters, but still, it’s appalling. I admit, school lunch can be fairly unappe-
By the way, this has also led to the declining appeal of the main course. To me, it’s pretty clear no health regulation helps the children whatsoever. By making things healthier, they’ve also made the food more disgusting. And there are plenty of ways to cook healthy, appetizing food. Many schools in Asia have lunches that are freshly made everyday by trained chefs, instead of people who throw something into a microwave or dump it out of the can (which is many American school lunches). Honestly this is just the top of the iceberg when it comes to food waste. Most of it goes on behind the scenes, during the production billion pounds of food process. Farmers and stores throw out food that is unaesthetic, simwasted ply because consumers won’t buy it. Western culture has become billion dollars wasted very engrossed by what their food looks like, if you haven’t noticed. This is not as big of a deal in Asia. But why shouldn’t we throw away of all food food? After all, there seems to be in America is plenty to go around. Plus, we’re wasted spending our own money on it. There are so many reasons not to do it. The simplest reason is that you’re wasting money when you waste food that is perfectly fine. But the biggest one is people in poverty. There are so many people, not just in America, who could benefit from all the wasted food. Produce that is thrown out in the production process could be given freely to the poor and hungry, at essentially no extra cost to the producers. After all, they’re not gonna sell it. From an environmental standpoint, wasted food decomposes in landfills, generating methane, a key cause of global warming. Growing food also takes up a lot of land and water, which goes to waste when food is thrown out. Food waste is a massive problem. What I see in America is just tiny part of what goes on in the world. Sure, Asia has its issues with food waste as well, but not nearly on the scale of America and the rest of the Western world. And it all starts with a mindset. If America and the Western world
N U M B E RS
133 161 50%
*Disclaimer: I know I’m generalizing Americans here, and I’m not trying to be aggressive. I’m simply using the differences to point out a big issue I see more commonly in America.
DESIGN BY CHEN-YOU WU
E K A L : D CLOSE S S E R G IN PRO - YO BY C H E N
U WU
Over the course of the last year, F.W. Kent Stat e Park has undergone the m ost dramatic overhaul it has se en in the last few decades.
A popular destination for fishers, swimmers, hikers, and campers, Kent Park’s lake and trails are a beloved part of the Tiffin and Iowa City communities. But last year, the lake was drained due to water quality issues. The Johnson County Conservation Board (JCCB) had decided it was time for action. To understand why the water quality became a problem in the first place, the history of the lake’s construction must be explained. According to Gullet, Kent Park lake was actually designed as part of Iowa’s outdoor recreational program that started about 60-70 years ago. Back then, the goal was to have a lake within 25 miles of every community, and so lakes were built everywhere without hesitation. Unfortunately, at that time, people didn’t understand the negative impacts that factors such as erosion and nutrient loading (runoff from fertilizers) would have on the water quality. Because of this, lakes weren’t designed to accommodate for these issues. Kent Park suffers from these issues, and the water quality problem was first detected about ten years ago. “In the middle of the summer and the fall, the algae blooms, which means when the lake gets loaded with algae, would get really severe and turn the water green, and so it was objectionable for people to look at. And once in awhile, it would even have an odor to it,” Larry Gullet, director of the JCCB, said. As the water quality continued to regress, problems became even worse. “About three years ago, the algae bloom became so prolific that the blue-green algae started to produce a toxin called microcystin,” Gullet said.
Microcystin is a relatively new issue, so not much is known about it. What is known is that it is a damaging neurotoxin, and harms not only the wildlife, but humans as well. When ingested by animals, there is a potential to kill. Humans have also been documented falling ill after ingesting microcystin in water. Not only does the algae bloom produce microcystin, it can also upsets the balance of oxygen. “You go through cycles of low oxygen, and the result of that can be fish killed and a stressed aquatic community,” Gullet said. So how did this come to be a problem? The main reason has to do with nutrient loading. Nutrient loading is when excess nutrients, whether it be from fertilizer runoff or animal droppings (in this case, geese), are added to the lake. Part of this problem was already addressed prior to the project, as the JCCB got rid of the geese through trapping and harrassing techniques. Yet this still wasn’t enough. “The main problem with causing the algae blooms and the production of microcystin is phosphorus,” Gullett said.
“The main problem with causing the algae blooms and the production of microcystin is phosphorus.”
Phosphorus is a common ingredient and nutrient in fertilizer. As the excess phosphorus dissolves into the water (dissolved phosphorus) or soil (particulate phosphorus), it causes big problems from Kent Park. When this phosphorus-rich water or soil finds its way into the lake, the influx of nutrients can spark a massive algae bloom and the production of microcystin. Phase one of the renovation plan is to fix the phosphorus problem by the expansion of the watershed system above the main lake. Watersheds, also known as catch basins, act as filters for water before it enters the lake. “The water from downstream hits the catch basin, and the dam slows the water velocity down. So the particulate phosphorus then falls out of the water and doesn’t enter the main lake,” Gullett said. “And the catch basins are designed so they are easier to clean out over time than the main lake.” Not only do catch basins fix the particulate phosphorus problem, it also reduces the amount of dissolved phosphorus by ten percent per catch basin, which is actually very hard to reduce. “So we built this series of catch basins within the watersheds, leading to three or four catch basins from each tributary,” Gullett said. The expansion of this watershed system with nine new catch basins will have a pro-
But adding watersheds wasn’t the only part of phase one. “We eliminated some turf areas around the lake, and converted them into prairies, which help filter the [fertilizer] runoff that infiltrated into the groundwater,” Gullet said. As a part of phase two, the entire lake was drained and dredged, which means digging out all the accumulated nutrient-rich sediments. The lake will also be made deeper than it was before, to accommodate for coral reefs that will be added and grown. “The new reefs will provide spawning habitats for a lot of the fish that are gonna live in the lake,” Gullett said. In addition to new reefs, submerged trees around the edges will also be added to provide habitats for fish. “We are also taking this opportunity to improve fishing access points, so the elderly and disabled will have better access to the lake,” Gullett said. Of course, such a large project doesn’t come without cost. Gullett estimates that by the completion of the renovations, the project will cost between two point eight to two point nine million dollars. The cost is being split half and half between the JCCB and the IDNR (Iowa Department of Natural Resources). Funding for the renovation comes from a few different sources. State funding comes from a tax appropriation called RIF, the Rebuild Iowa Fund. Interestingly, all the money in RIF comes from gambling revenue from casinos.
“The casinos all across the state pay a very high tax to the state government, and so all the state money used in this project comes from people gambling across the state,” Gullet said. From the county level, the money mainly comes from a bond. “In 2008, the county voters voted to support a conservation bond initiative, which gives the county twenty million dollars over twenty years to use for things like water quality,” Gullet said. The remaining cost is also covered by the JCCB through appropriation of county property taxes. Though the lake will be closed, there is still plenty for people to do at Kent Park this summer. Many of the hiking trails are still open, as well as most of the campgrounds and picnic shelters. Gullett also encourages people to walk down to the lake as it undergoes construction, as it’s truly interesting to watch. The entire East side of the park is also open, and is filled with ponds and wetlands that still contain fish. Though the cost is high, Gullet is very optimistic about the outcome of the renovations, predicting park usage and enjoyment will shoot up. “We don’t just go out and spend about three million dollars on a lake with no benefit to the public,” Gullet said laughing.
“All the state money used in this project comes from people gambling across the state.” Because of this, Gullett and the JCCB also predict that the economic impact of Kent Park will grow from ten million dollars a year to over twelve million at a minimum. The JCCB also has plans in place to renovate the rest of the park as well, and will take start as soon as the lake is completed. “We have plans to renovate the entire beach area, and put in a new beach house. We have plans to add a new campground shower house, as well as plans to renovate the entryway into the camp,” Gullett said. As the renovations are completed, Kent Park is for sure going to become a park that Johnson County will be proud of for a long time.
We don’t just go out and spend about three million dollars on a lake with no benefit to the public.”
DESIGN BY CHEN-YOU WU
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E N T E R TA I N M E N T MAY 25, 2018
HERMAN’S SERMONS Well known as West High’s AP Bio teacher, Mr. Herman is also famous for his hilarious quotes. Here, we bring you some of his COMPILED BY CHEN-YOU WU
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MARK MY WORDS. When that snow melts, something else will happen. It’s called Herman’s law. When the temperature goes up, grades go down
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BEAT THE LIVING DAYLIGHT OUT OF THAT GRASS
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Don’t be afraid of eggs
UNDERLINE IT 65 THOUSAND TIMES AND NEVER FORGET IT
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I cringed the other day watching a video of teenagers eating detergent pods. It made me think, those kids have failed at life and probably in their science classes...or they’re just flat out damn dumb
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When you hear sexually transmitted,’ you probably think of sexually transmitted diseases. Well, I hate to tell you this, but LIFE is sexually transmitted
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E N T E R TA I N M E N T
MAY 25, 2018
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There’s two things you need to know how to do before you go off on your own: how to boil water and fry an egg
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YOU CAN SURVIVE 3 MINUTES WITHOUT AIR, ABOUT 6 DAYS WITHOUT FOOD, 3 DAYS WITHOUT WATER. BUT WHAT NO ONE KNOWS, IS HOW LONG YOU CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT THE WILL TO LIVE
MARK MY WORDS. When that snow melts, something else will happen. It’s called Herman’s law. When the temperature goes up, grades go down
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This is one of the only occasions this year where students are allowed to have sex in class
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Even though they’re sold in the grocery store, detergent pods are NOT food
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MARK MY WORDS. When that snow melts, something else will happen. It’s called Herman’s law. When the temperature goes up, grades go down
Have you ever heard of cereal?
DESIGN BY CHEN-YOU WU
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E N T E R TA I N M E N T MAY 22, 2018
FLAMING
Flaming Hot Cheeto Grilled
FOODS Have you ever had those spicy sticks? I’m talking about Hot Cheetos. Most people have tried them and enjoyed the spice you get. But have you ever cooked with Hot Cheetos? Probably not, so here are some interesting recipies for you to try
Reviewed By Brennon Keen ‘18 and Allie Hambright ‘18
Hambright says “The cheeto cheese taste like cheese with hot cheetos mixed, it’s nothing special but it is still pretty good though and would recommend” she also said later, “it also taste like you poured melted cheese onto hot cheetos and ate it like that” Keen says “This cheese says is great, dumping anything into the cheese makes it spice and cheesy” the next thing Keen does is “Dunk” the grilled cheese into the cheese, he describes it as “ the cheesiest mixture with a little spice” By: Hunter Herman ‘18
What You’ll Need: White bread Mayo American or cheddar cheese 1 cup Milk 2 Eggs Crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos DIRECTIONS: 1) Spread mayo onto two slices of white bread, and place a slice of cheese on each bread slice 2) Make a sandwich, and cut into 4 triangular pieces 3) In a bowl, whisk one cup of milk with 2 eggs until well blended 4) Pour crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into a separate bowl 5) Dip triangular sandwich pieces first into the egg/ milk mixture, then coat with Cheetos crumbs 6) Chill for 1 hour 7) Drop sandwich pieces into a deep fryer or frying pan at 350 degrees until golden brown 8) Serve with a dipping sauce for an extra KICK!
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E N T E R TA I N M E N T
MAY 22, 2018
Hot Cheeto Cheese Sauce Reviewed by Brennon Keen ‘18 and Allie Hambright ‘18 INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup ground Hot Cheetos (use a blender or a food processor to make it into dust) 2 cups milk 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese 1/2 cup extra Hot Cheetos, add to taste DIRECTIONS: 1) Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan Add the flour & 1/2 cup ground hot Cheetos, & whisk 2) Let it cook on medium heat for 60-90 seconds 3) Pour in 1 cup of the milk, & whisk to combine 4) Let cool until thickened, it will thicken pretty fast 5) Then add the remaining cup of milk & whisk well. Cook on medium heat, stirring often until the mixture has thickened to about the consistency of heavy whipping cream. It should coat the back of a spoon. Stir in
Hambright says “ The Grilled Cheese tasted like a normal grilled cheese but with a crunch hor outer crunch. I’d like it more without the mayo, I feel like it needs to be something else but that, it gives it a weird aftertaste.” Keen says “ It taste really good, how the spiciness of the cheetos gives the grilled cheese taste really good. I don’t think you need to change the mayo aspect of it. I think somehow adding hot cheetos in the sandwich to give it a more crunch would be better but overall pretty good and making it didn’t take long.”
Meet The Staff CHEN-YOU WU ‘20 Chen-You here! Thanks again for reading our final journalism project, and I do hope that you found it enjoyable. This was by far the biggest, therefore hardest, project I’ve ever done for this class, and one of the hardest things for any class in general. Though it was pretty hard and stressful at times, it was also very fun to do. Designing the pages was pretty neat, and I think most of them turned our pretty well. I won’t be on newspaper staff next year ‘cause of scheduling issues, but maybe you’ll see my name in the paper my senior year. All in all, this class has had its ups and downs, but it’s been a pretty great year.
SHUNTARO KAWASAKI ‘20 My darling readers, I hope you enjoy our last project of the year. I really disliked and liked this project, I enjoyed thinking of what I wanted to do and doing it, but putting it on page and make it an article was challenging. Since this is my senior year, I won’t be able to participate with West Side Story. During this class I made a lot of new relationships with people I never would have thought I would. Taking this class was something new for me, I’ve never done anything like it and I had a blast. Everyone in Foundation of Journalism is talented in their own way and I can’t wait to see where life takes them.
HUNTER HERMAN ‘18
Please enjoy this first & last & one & only article of The Triple S. This project was incredibly difficult for me because of how much I procrastinated & all the end of the year work & testing. I really have nothing else to say since I didn’t contribute much. That Royal Wedding of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry was cool. Too bad the British concert people didn’t play Canon in D Major. Much love to you guys & let’s finish this year with an awesome article of The Triple S!
DESIGN BY CHEN-YOU WU
Herman’s Album
Captured in the summer of 2014, this beautiful Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany has inspired creators & designers such as Eyvind Earle, a production designer for Disney’s 1959 film Sleeping Beauty who designed the Queen’s castle based off of this real life Romantic castle. has inspired creators & designers such as Eyvind Earle,a production designer for Disney’s 1959 film Sleeping Beauty who designed the Queen’s castle based off of this real life Romantic castle.
Herman’s Album
Taken in the summer of 2014, Hunter Herman ‘18 spots a neoclassical church on the border of Switzerland and Germany.
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