January 2017
Volume 91
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Issue 5
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Wher e ar e the signs?
An S1-1 sign is a crossing sign posted on West Broadway, adjacent to Thomas Jefferson. Photo by: Morgan Barth.
Morgan Barth Editor-In-Chief Adviser’s note: This story is a follow up to a story which ran in the November 2015 issue of The Signal. You can find that complete story at http://www. cbjacketjournalism.com/didnt-seethe-signs In a story that ran November 2015 in The Signal and The Daily Nonpareil the City of Council Bluffs acknowledged the four largest high schools in Council Bluffs lacked
speed-reducing school zone signage. West Broadway is a main city road that runs along the front of Thomas Jefferson High School. There are S1-1 crossing signs posted, and according to the Iowa Department of Transportation, S1-1 signs are designated school zone signs to warn drivers there are students crossing ahead, but not a posted reduction in speed. “Reduced school speed limit zones are usually not installed near high schools because high school students are presumed to have the same perceptive abilities and under-
standing of traffic control devices as adults,” said Council Bluffs Traffic Superintendent Mark Franz. It’s up to the city if the four high schools will get school zone speed signage, and it’s also up to the city to pay and install the equipment, according to Franz. “All four facilities have neon yellow signs posted on streets around the schools warning of pedestrian traffic. None of those signs require reduced speed,” said Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh. On April 18, 2016, Walsh announced the city would take over
Making their way to London Madasyn Davis Reporter
Juniors Angela Larson and Allison Tague represented Thomas Jefferson in London at the New Year’s Day Parade. Larson and Tague attended a two-day Universal Cheer Association camp over the summer to earn their spots on the AllAmerican team. During their time in the UK, they visited many different museums and landmarks including the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and more. “My favorite part from the trip would be meeting new people and exploring a different part of the world,” says Tague. Tague and Larson both ran into many complications, but nothing brought down their moods.
Allison Tague and Angela Larson before performing in the London New Years Day Parade. Photo by: Angela Larson.
“The parade went well, it was very very cold and it was pouring down rain,” Larson said. “Despite that, we still did so well and it was a good experience to have.” Although there were many fun things that happened, Tague had a mishap. ”They threw away my toothbrush and makeup at customs security,” Tague explained. “On
Also in this paper... Page 2 Child Labor Laws Monty Python’s Spamalot Giraffes going extinct
Page 3 Snapchat Update The Inauguration of DJT Iowa West Foundation #IStandWithStandingRock
maintenance of West Broadway – U.S. Highway 6 – from the state of Iowa. When West Broadway was a federal highway maintained by the state, the city didn’t have much of a say in the signage. Walsh added that flashing school zone signs are generally found where the speed limit exceeds 25 mph. A flashing school zone sign requires reduced speeds, and those convicted of speeding in a school zone will be fined a maximum of $250 for each traffic violation and a fine of $500 for each offense. However, an S1-1 does not have the
Nelson Teaching Award
Screenshot of Nelson Teaching Award from website.
Morgan Barth Editor-In-Chief
the way back, our stuff got searched because they thought we were bringing fruit back into the country, but all we had was a strawberry jelly scented candle.” They explained that the parade went well for the both of them and they enjoyed their time in London. The juniors hope to be going back again for a round two.
The Excellence in Teaching Award was established by The Nelson Family Foundation in 2008. The award honors teachers and counselors from the Lewis Central and the Council Bluffs Community School Districts. Nominees are judged on their knowledge, skills, and abilities
Page 4 That’s so Raven! Carrie Fisher remembered Transformers: The Last Knight Spider-Man: Homecoming
Page 5 Fate of the Furious Omaha Arsons In Memory of Debbie Reynolds Walnut Grove Destruction
Page 1
flashing beaker and does not require reduced speeds. If anyone was caught speeding they would be charged with a regular speeding ticket. Walsh added, “It will not be our intent to reduce the current speed limit” from its current 35 mph. Walsh has since explained that the city will be adding features to West Broadway that will help keep traffic within acceptable speeds. However, there have been no decisions made on school zone signage.
both inside and outside of the classroom. Not only will the educator win the Excellence in Teaching Award, they will earn $5,000. If you know an educator who has made an impact on kids and the community then submit a form on thenelsonfoundation. org/nominate. Forms are accepted until early February.
Page 6 Southwest Iowa Leadership Museum named after Clinton Jackets sting the Lions Win Vs. Lose Varsity Jackets
News
THE SIGNAL Editor-in-Chief Morgan Barth
Teens working overtime
Copy Editor Cami Wagaman Paginator Adriana Ibarra Cami Wagaman Morgan Barth
Raising Cane’s on West Broadway, where many TJ students work. Photo by: Cami Wagaman.
Staff Abigail Edie Chancey Travis Courtney Jones Dylan Harold Jordan McAlpine Madasyn Davis Maxine Mass Shae Wilson Tiana Larsen Adviser Rob Lindquist Phone: 712-328-6493 Facebook: CBJacketJournalism Twitter:@TJHSJournalism
Abigail Edie Reporter
It seems that more than half of the students at Thomas Jefferson work either in a restaurant, retail, or at a grocery store. Unfortunately, many students are working over the state of Iowa law limiting a certain number of hours a student can work per week. High school students are only allowed to work 28 hours per week, and from June 1st through Labor day, high schoolers are allowed 8 hours a day between 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and have to work
less than 40 hours per week, according to iowaworkforce.org. “I work 25-40 hours a week depending on if I have to call in for things like mandatory school events,” explained TJHS senior Kaitlyn Doremus. Different ages have different hours they are allowed to work in the state of Iowa. Teenagers at the ages of 14 and 15 are allowed four hours a day on school days, and they can work up to 28 hours per week when school is in session. They can also work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. the day after Labor Day and May 31st. TJ encourages students to participate in clubs and sports. If they are involved in school activities, students then will have to handle work, homework, clubs, sports, and school. “Work is flexible sometimes
with school, but they keep us late on weekends to close,” said Doremus. “We don’t get out of the place until like 2 or 3am.” Most students can’t handle it all at once. Campusmindworks. com states that kids who work over 20 hours a week can lead to some problems such as sleep deprivation, stress, anxiety, low GPAs and increased dropout rates. Some requirements that a high schooler has to have while having a job is work permits. Minors under 16 are required to have a work permit or they can not work. Although 16 and 17-yearolds are not required to have a work permit; they are required to have a certificate of age. Minors under 18 are not allowed to work in some occupations like doing laundry,
Monty Python’s Spamalot visits TJ
Web: cbjacketjournalism.com Snapchat: tjhsjournalism
dry cleaning, and working near dangerous chemicals. Anyone under the age of 16 is prohibited from working in hazardous occupations, manufacturing, construction, and many other jobs due to the fact they can’t work with power driven machinery. Doremus believes that she works overtime too much, and thinks that they shouldn’t be worked that much unless they absolutely want and need it. A student can go to their boss and explain to them what hours they can and cannot work. Themuse.com believes that the student should let their boss know that they are being overworked and need to get their hours cut.
The Signal is a school-sponsored publication of Thomas Jefferson High School 2501 W. Broadway Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501. The Signal’s office is located in room C128. The Signal is printed by OH-K FASTPRINT in Omaha, NE. The Signal is a schoolsponsored-publication and therefore recognizes its responsibility to stay within the boundaries that the school administrator sets. The Signal will therefore inform its readers using a high standard of morals and ethics. The Signal encourages readers to respond in the form of letters to the editor, which can be sent to room C128. The Signal’s editorial staff reserves the right to edit the letters for grammatical errors and to remove any profanity. The editors also reserve the right to exclude letters that are false in their statements or accusations. The Signal will not accept advertisements that promote activities illegal to minors. Advertising rates are available upon request.
NSPA Member Publication IHSPA Member Publication
Giraffes quietly going extinct
Henry the giraffe from the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. Photo by: Morgan Barth.
The Spamalot cast taking the final bow after a performance. Photo by: Ms. Bitterlin
Cami Wagaman Reporter The Thomas Jefferson Drama and Choir departments have been working hand and hand to produce TJ’s own version of Spamalot. “This show has had many obstacles that students have had to overcome. and they have risen above them all,” said Ms. Custer, head of the Drama department at TJ. “This Musical has exposed them to many difficult elements of a performance than they
haven’t had before.” The original Broadway production was adapted from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The Broadway musical was performed in 2005, and was directed by Mike Nichols. The production was nominated for 14 Tony awards, and was the winner of three of them. Since the debut of the Broadway production, the musical has had over 1,500 performances, and has been seen by over two million people. The musical has not only been a major hit here in the United States, but it has become an internationally famous musical, in places such as
going extinct, but according to biologists Julian Fennessy and Noelle Kumpel, there are four times as many elephants as there In the past 30 years, Africa’s are giraffes. wild giraffe population has This last spring, Omaha’s dropped by 40%. It is said that Henry Doorly Zoo recieved their population is currently in new giraffes. The zoo also gives the process of a ‘silent extinction’. you the access and the ability to In information gathered from feed and pet them, if they come ____ giraffes are being killed by within reach. poachers, especially in the DemAlso, there is a new club at TJ ocratic Republic of Congo, where called the Zoology club. The club they shoot and kill giraffes for is planning to make a trip to the their tails, which are considered a Zoo sometime in the near future, status symbol in the region. and is also planning on dissectIn 1985, the population of ing animals to learn more about giraffes was at around 163,000. them. Their population has diminished If that sounds like something over the past year. Approximately that would interest you, then 97,000 are left, with that number check out the Zoology club on decreasing daily. Wednesdays after school in Mrs. Many worry about elephants Thomas’ room, C320.
Shae Wilson Reporter
Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Poland, and others. “They deserve to have this show seen by the entire community and they should feel as proud as I do about their performance,” said Custer on behalf of the many students who played a role in this production. The opening night of the musical at TJ was held on December 6th. Other shows were on the 7th, and 8th of December. The cast did an amazing job in bringing the show to life. The talent of the musical and theatre departments bring light to the pure talent that TJ has.
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NEWS
New update to Snapchat The inauguration of Donald J Snapchat users Tiana Larsen and Madasyn Davis have a group chat with their friends. Photo by: Adriana Ibarra
Tiana Larsen Reporter Snapchat has announced their latest addition to their app, a group chat. You can now have all of your friends get the same snap all at once, but that is not all that comes with the new update. Before the update, users could only snapchat one person at a time, but now you can snapchat up to 16 friends at one time. If you snap the same people over a period of time, or just want an easier way to separate from each other, it will be easier to snap them using the group chat. There are some different ways for using the group update. One option is from the main screen, swipe left to the text chat page, tap “new chat” and select all the friends you want in your chat. The other option is take a photo or video and send it to who you would like, send it, and then start tapping names of your friends you want in the chat. You can also now use Shazam from Snapchat. When a song is playing, tap and hold the screen when it’s in the camera mode and
Trump
By White House photographer (Official White House Facebook page) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
wait until Shazam pops up to get all the information you need. Another update is the paintbrush option. This editing feature lets you use funky effects in your memories. Just tap on your memories and select a photo, tap on the paintbrush icon and many famous paintings will show up such as Starry Night and The Scream by Vincent Van Gogh. The scissors are also one of the new amazing effects. To use it just take a picture of yourself, tap on the icon, and draw an outline around whatever you want to cut out. Then, you can turn it into a sticker to place on your Snapchat. If for some reason you don’t want to keep the sticker, just go to your stickers on your screen already, and drag the sticker to the delete button. If you still don’t have the newest update, make sure you update and use all these new amazing features.
Iowa West Foundation
Tiana Larsen Reporter As his time comes to a beginning, President Donald Trump is ready to make America great again. During his inauguration, Donald Trump concludes his speech with the promise to make America better. “We will make America strong again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America proud again. We will make America great again,” said the President. Trump stated how he will help change America in may ways. He talked about how it wasn’t a time for much talking, how it was a time of action. Trump stated, “Whether we are black or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots.” He talks about how the United States will be protected by God. He says the U.S will not impose its lifestyle on anyone, but it will shine
for everyone to follow. The President also stated that protection will lead to prosperity. Trump will make every decision to help protect American workers and also American families. He describes two simple rules, “buy American and hire American.” During his inauguration, Trump notes that peaceful transfer of power happens every four years. He thanked Obama for helping America. “Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.” Donald stated that becoming president isn’t about control and power of one person. That this is a time where everyone has power to help make America a better place for everyone. “Today we are not merely transferring power from one
power to another, but we are transferring power from Washington D.C and giving it to you, the people,” said Trump. Trump thanked the people of the world. He stated that citizens of America are now joined into a great nation. Citizens of America can now help rebuild the country and restore its promise. He plans to have Americans come together and face challenges. To come together and confront hardships and together we could all get the job done. Trump stated that we are one nation, that their pain is our pain; their dreams are our dreams. He says we share one heart, one home and one destiny. “January 20th, 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers once again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. Everyone is listening to you now,” said Trump.
#IStandWithStandingRock
Sophomore Dylan Waters wearing his “pipeline fighter” shirt. Photo by: Cami Wagaman
Kids at the MAC shooting baskets. Photo by: Morgan Barth
Morgan Barth Editor-In-Chief The Iowa West Foundation announced they will be partnering with Omaha Sports Academy to run the new recreation center near the Mid-America Center (MAC) in Council Bluffs, Iowa. “We’re hoping to bring more life to the MAC,” said President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation, Pete Tulipana. Bob Franzese, Co-owner and General Manager of the Omaha Sports Academy explained his excitement about working with sports league providers and drawing attention to the new sports center. “Athletes are going to have a great place to play,” said Franzese.
“They’re going to have a place to call home.” Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh adds, “It provides a place for teams and athletes to compete.” The recreation center features eight full-sized hardwood basketball courts and 12 full-sized hardwood volleyball courts. Walsh believes it will help Council Bluffs develop as a whole. If more people attend the games, it will help bring more money into the local economy. “There are more opportunities,” Walsh added. “It will help bring business to the area.” The field house will provide access to Southwest Iowa sports teams, will drive economic development at the Mid-America Center, and bring tourism to Council Bluffs.
Cami Wagaman Reporter In 2016, one of the many trending news stories has to do with the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). A pipeline running through water sources, which would contaminate water for thousands of people. The DAPL remains a huge controversy as we go into 2017. People from many different places in the country have gathered to support the Standing Rock reservation, a Native American reservation in North and South Dakota, occupied by many different tribes, such as Hunkpapa Lakota, Sihasapa Lakota, Yanktonai Dakota.
The protesters gathered at Standing Rock, and lasted for several months, and finally ceased during the month of December, when the pipeline was said to be looking into new routes to go through. Although authorities are attempting to reroute the pipeline, it could still contaminate water for many communities. A lot of support from different communities have come from many famous faces, such as Shailene Woodley, an actress well known for her role in the Divergent series, The Fault in Our Stars, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Woodley has faced an arrest for her participation in the protests at Standing Rock. The
arrest did not stop the actress from voicing her opinion on the construction on social media, and she did continue to protest after her arrest. Other stars, such as Willie Nelson, a rock and roll country singer/songwriter, who attended protests, as well as donated money for a solar barn for the people of Standing Rock. Thousands have rallied together online, starting the Twitter trends ‘#IStandWithStandingRock’ and ‘#NoDAPL’. The fight for DAPL is still on, and protesters aren’t showing any signs of giving up, but neither are proponents. On January 24, 2017, The new President signed an executive order allowing work on the pipeline.
Even more stories online! Visit bit.ly/SignalNews Page 3
ENTERTAINMENT
That’s so Raven, too!
Remembering a Princess Carrie Fisher strikes back in this Star Wars: The Force Awakens promo photo. Photo by: MovieViral.com
Maxine Mass Reporter Teaser poster for That’s so Raven, too! Photo by: funny-pictures.picphotos.net
Courtney Jones Reporter Actress and talk show host Raven Symone announced that Disney Channel will be launching a spin off of the previous hit show, That’s so Raven! Symone will be acting and producing the show herself. It is currently being referred to as That’s so Raven, too! Prior to the announcement, Symone had been working on the talk show The View alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, and a few others.
Symone retired from The View in December of 2016. Although she has not said much, the show will feature Symone as the mother of two young children: Nia, who begins to experience visions herself, and a boy named Booker. “We now have our eyes on the future with her, and we’re looking forward to telling more stories for a new generation with an adult Raven Baxter raising her young family,” says Adam Bonnet, Vice President of production. No official release date has been set for the show yet, but production is said to start in early 2017.
Carrie Fisher, a well known actor, writer, and humorist died after suffering a major heart attack just two days after Christmas. Fisher was born on October 21st, 1956. She took after her mother, Debbie Reynolds, with her career choice. Reynolds was also an actress and a singer. A bystander performed CPR on Fisher and she was immediately rushed to the hospital in LA after landing. When fans had heard about the tragedy, support was shown on social media with the hashtag “#MayTheForceBeWithHer.” Four days later, she passed away in the company of her family.
Transfomers: The Last Knight
Teaser poster for Transformers: The last knight. Photo by: cloudnames.com
Tiana Larsen Reporter Transformers: The Last Knight will be released in the summer of 2017. This will be the fifth Transformers movie of the series. There have been a few teases about the movie, including the ideas of the story featuring a battle to save the Earth from Unicron. Optimus Prime returns to Cybertron to find the planet dead, and learns he is the one to blame for it. To bring it back to life, he will need a mysterious artifact that is hoped to be sitting down on Earth. The artifact is connected to Merlin. The mentor to King Arthur in the legendary story.
Merlin gained his magic through a visiting Transformer; not the first time in human history. This film will pick up where the last film ended with Optimus Prime in space, but Optimus will still be the main Transformer character. Bumblebee takes on a bigger role in this movie, while Optimus searches through space, while Hound Crosshairs, Drift, and the Dinobots all operate in the South Dakota Badlands. Some of the new Transformers will include anAston Martin, named “Cogman,” and a Vespa named “Squeeks.” Mark Wahlberg is back for his second movie with Transformers playing Cade Yeager, a struggling inventor and single father who starred in the last movie, Transformers: Age of Extinction. He will be joined with two other returners, Josh Duhamel as
Fisher’s heart attack occurred during a flight traveling from London to California on December 23rd, 2016. Fisher’s first appearance was in the Broadway show Irene at the age of 15, and made her film debut in 1975 in Shampoo. In 1977, she starred as Princess Leia in the Star Wars series making her a pop culture icon. Later in 1980, she appeared in the Blues Brothers, and returned to Broadway the same year for censored scenes from King Kong and two years later, Agnes of God. Carrie published her first novel in 1987, called Postcards from the Edge, the story of a mother and her daughter in the show business. Fisher had a daughter, Billie Catherine, from her relationship with Bryan Lourd, and later on
married singer and songwriter Paul Simon in the 1980s. She was also open to telling people about her struggles with alcohol and drug abuse in the 1980s, when she also announced that she had bipolar disorder. Fisher was awarded the Annual Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism in 2016 by Harvard University. The award highlighted her outspokenness about addiction, mental illness, and the agnosticism advanced for public discourse on these issues with creativity and empathy. Fisher’s family reels from the loss of a great icon that has brought much joy to many on and off screen. May the force be with them.
Spider-man: Homecoming
Spider-Man Homecoming teaser movie poster. Photo provided by: Leadcastingcall.com
Lt. Colonel William Lennox, and Tyrese Gibson playing Robert Epps both soldiers who had appeared in Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen and Transformers: Dark Of The Moon on the opposite side of the autobots, but weren’t in Age Of Extinction. Stanley Tucci is back as head of Kinetic Solutions Incorporated, who also played in the Age Of Extinction, who created his own man-made Transformers from Transformium. Eventually, making his way around the Autobots. Michael Bay casteed newcomer Isabela Moner, who’ll be playing Izabella, “a street-smart tomboy” orphan whose only buddy in life is mini-Transformer and fellow newcomer Squeeks. The release date for Transformers: The Last Knight is June 23, 2017.
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Morgan Barth Editor-In-Chief British actor Tom Holland presented the new Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer on December 8th, 2016. Holland made his first Amazing debut in Captain America: Civil War. As seen in Captain America: Civil War, 15-year-old Peter Parker was addressed by Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr. about his superpowers. Stark was in need of help and turned to a web-slinging teenager, who was also in need of someone with the background knowledge of being a superhero. After his experience with the Avengers, Parker returns home where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) in Queens, New York. He then begins struggling to balance life as a teenager while trying to save his city from vigi-
lantes, under the new supervision of mentor Tony Stark. Although the plot in the trailer is unclear, Michael Keaton plays Adrian Toomes, the Vulture, as the villain. Another issue that Parker seems to face is his new mentor telling him what he can and cannot do with his powers. Viewers have already said that Tom Holland has delivered something that previous actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield couldn’t as their previous efforts of Spider-Man. Holland has signed for three Spider-Man movies not including Captain America: Civil War. The sequel was said to be released on July 5th, 2019. Fans are hoping that the Spider-Man reboot meets expectations. Spider-Man: Homecoming will be swinging its way into theaters July 7th, 2017.
Fate of the Furious
NEWS
Omaha Arsons
Fire graphic created for the fires that are being set in Omaha. Graphic created by: Cami Wagaman.
The Fate of the Furious official trailer, released on December 11th, 2016. Photo provided by: forbes.com
Tiana Larsen Reporter Fans of The Fast and the Furious are on the edge of their seats, as the eighth movie of the series has set a release date. Fate of the Furious released a trailer for the public. Dominic and Letty get to go on their honeymoon as Brian and Mia finally get the chance to settle down and live their lives. As for the rest of the crew, they all have gone back to their normal lives. When a new mysterious wom-
an comes to town, she seduces Dom into the world of crime, which he can not escape from. Dom betrays his closest friends and they go through many challenges that test their abilities. After escaping from Germany, all will seem well until one of the crew’s very own will turn against them. There will be twist that no one will see coming, leading to fights and dramatic moments. One of the crew members will be leaving and one unexpected person will be let in. Between one of the turncoats and the enemy within, there is some shocking moments no one will see coming. This film will star Vin Diesel,
Dwayne Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Kurt Russell, Jason Statham and many more stars. Fate of the Furious will be the first film of the series to not star Paul Walker, since his death in 2013. Paul Walker died in a single-vehicle crash on November 30, 2013, during the filming of Fast and the Furious 7. Fate of the Furious will be coming to theaters April 14, 2017. The film is expected to have you on the edge of your seats.
In memory of Debbie Reynolds
Abigal Edie Reporter Mary Frances Reynolds, professionally known as Debbie Reynolds, was born April 1, 1932, in El Paso, Texas. She was an American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, humanitarian, and dancer. Her film career began when she was 16, and she won a beauty contest impersonating Betty Hutton, and shortly after she landed a contract with Warner Bros. She became a dancer when she was selected to be Gene Kelly’s partner in Singin’ In The Rain in 1952. Most of Reynolds’ early film work was in MGM musicals, such as Singin’ In The Rain, The
A series of arsons have been committed in Omaha, Nebraska in the past three months. There has been a chain of fires, and investigators believe that the fires are connected to one person. In the latest fires, two firemen were admitted to the hospital, at least one of them in critical condition after trying to search the houses for injured or trapped citizens. While searching, Captain Jeff Crnkovich fell from the first floor to the basement and firefighter Captain Jeff Evanoff suffered from smoke inhalation. Since the series of fires have
Walnut Grove Demolition
Walnut Grove in phase one of construction. Photo by: Cami Wagaman
84-year-old actress Debbie Reynolds smiling for a picture. Photo provided by: findagrave.com
Unsinkable Molly Brown, Two Weeks Of Love, and many more. She was nominated for many awards from being in certain films such as; Three Little Words, Singin’ In The Rain, The Affairs Of Dobie Gillis, Susan Slept Here, Bundle of Joy, The Catered Affair, and Tammy And The Bachelor. Reynolds also had several business ventures, she owned a dance studio as well as a Las Vegas hotel and casino, she also served as President of Thalians, an organization dedicated to aiding people with mental health issues. In January 2015, Reynolds received the Screen Actors Guild’s Life Achievement Award and in 2016 she received the Academy Awards Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. In the same year,
Courtney Jones Reporter
started every house that has been affected has been vacant. “If no one is there to tell us that house is empty then we have to assume there’s somebody in there,” Omaha Fire Union Treasurer Trevor Towey said. Bystanders witnessed multiple trucks put out a fire at a three story home, but were confused on how the fire started since the houses have been empty. “We know it’s dangerous going in, but whether it’s a vacant house or an occupied house we owe it to the citizens who might be living there to go in and search,” Towey said to KETV. This was the 14th vacant home fire within a three month period. Although the arsonist has not been caught, there is a hotline for anyone who has any information that could be useful to the case. Information compiled from KETV.com.
a documentary about her life was released titled Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. December 27, Debbie Reynolds’ daughter Carrie Fisher died from Cardiac arrest. Reynolds passed the next day while they were planning Fisher’s funeral. The cause of death is rumored to be Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (Broken Heart Syndrome). Debbie Reynolds was 84 when she died, and her daughter, Carrie Fisher, was 60. Fisher was cremated and then buried in a coffin next to her mother. Reynolds led an amazing life with many accomplishments. She will be missed by many people, but her memory will live on.
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Tiana Larsen Reporter Walnut Grove Elementary in Council Bluffs, built in 1962, was closed in June 2014. After sitting empty for over two years, the demolition has begun. During June 2013, balloons were set off on campus by students in memory of the school. The balloons were set off as a promise that the kids would stick together, even when they move to other schools. The school was sold for $104,000 to NeighborWorks Home Solutions back in November of 2015. NeighborWorks Home Solutions decided they will build 14 new homes for middle income families.
Iowa Western, Tucker Center, and College Center will team up to help build these homes as part of the partnership. Renovating the school would have cost the school district about $12 to $15 million. Other district elementary schools had enough capacity to shift Walnut Grove students to some of their buildings. There was a ceremony held at Thomas Jefferson High School on January 21st, 2017, to reopen the time capsule that was buried in 1926. 200 bricks were collected during the demolition and given to previous students of Walnut Grove. Construction is said to start in the summer of 2017, according to Council Bluffs Community Development Department.
Southwest Iowa leadership
NEWS
Museum named after Clinton
Christian Clark (right) and Mike Wailes (left), spreading mulch around the garden beds at Trolley Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa as a par of the Southwest Iowa Leadership Academy. Photo by: Joe Shearer, the Daily Nonpareil.
Maxine Mass Reporter The Southwest Iowa Leadership Academy, established in 1989, needs help from the community in fundraising for this years group of student leaders from schools across Council Bluffs, IA. Every year, a group selected by application for 7th graders moving into 8th grade will have a camp at the end of the school year at the Iowa School of the Deaf, where they learn leadership skills in the course of four days. According to their website, the camp was made to help great leaders become even better, learning different skills including problem solving, different types of leadership, service learning, teamwork, communication, goal setting, and more. All while having fun and meeting new people from across the Council Bluffs area.
The camp is not free of cost. To be able to afford to have the camp, organizers need $27,000 for the essentials. Selected students for the leadership group won’t be turned down from the camp based on their ability to pay. Being able to pay off the $27,000 among the 91 students attending would be very costly to the families of those students. So far, they have already hosted a golf tournament in the fall of 2016, helping them fundraise $4,023 of the $27,000. $4,000, which is seemingly a lot, is still not very close to reaching their final goal. The leadership students are put into nine base groups with the advisors of each school, where they may or may not know the people from their group. They are mixed with all seven of the school’s leadership class students, whom they will be sharing their dorm room with. Each group from each school is selected through an application
Jackets sting the Lions Daniel Carey Shooting the ball 1/12/17 Photo by: Cami Wagaman
Morgan Barth Editor-in-Chief It was a neck and a neck game for Thomas Jefferson’s boy’s varsity basketball team January 12th, against the Louisville Lions. With only a three-point difference, and a lot of determination, the Jacket’s won 48-45. The Jackets kept solid through the first quarter, but only stayed up by one-point. The Lions were playing a hard game, however, TJ was able to distribute the ball
to many players, with 10 team assists on the night. During the fourth quarter, with only two minutes left, the Jackets and the Lions were tied 40 to 40. Fans on the Jacket side were devastated when the clock displayed 1:29 and the Lions fouled. As the opponents missed each shot, it started to build up the Jacket’s confidence. TJ came through with 9.1 seconds left, and earned their last four points of the game to take home the win.
with base group leaders (teachers) for each group to serve as advisors each year. Without the $27,000, the leadership academy will not be able to have the fun camp they had hoped to provide for the seven schools across the city, including Treynor, Underwood, Lewis Central, Kirn, Wilson, Saint Albert, and the Iowa School of the Deaf. Any sponsors can drop their contributions off or mail them to the Southwest Iowa Leadership Academy, Community Education Foundation at 300 west Broadway, suite 212 in Council Bluffs, IA 51503. If you know any sponsors that would be willing to help contribute, make sure to give them information about the Southwest Iowa Leadership Academy. If you have any questions visit their website at www.swileadershipacademy.weebly.com for any other information. You can also contact the director of the camp Deb Masker for any further information at dmasker@cbcsd.org.
SPORTS
Tiana Larsen Reporter Hillary Clinton returns to Washington for the opening week of a new exhibition and museum area in the state department being named after her. Clinton spoke January 10th along with a few of her secretaries. This was Clinton’s second appearance since she lost the election to Donald Trump. One of the exhibits in the museum will be called the ‘Hillary Clinton Pavilion’. The other exhibits will be named after her former secretaries James A. Baker, Henry Kissinger, and John F. Kerry. Visitors will see the ‘Hillary
Clinton Pavilion’ through the entrance hall. They will be engaged with exploring U.S relationships with nations around the world. The Carnegie Foundation of New York gave a $750,000 grant to help support programming at the center. Only the Clinton and Kissinger Hall are star attractions with a 14 foot section of the Berlin Wall. The museum was conceived by Albright, who held an event for it back in 2000. This project was announced during the George W. Bush term and revived by Hillary Clinton. Some donors overlap with Clinton’s network of political fundraisers and with donors to the Clinton families foundations.
Jackets basketball getting closer Dylan Harold Reporter The girls basketball team played a rough game on Wednesday, January 3rd against Sidney to start off the new year. Although they lost 50-58, the Jackets played an amazing 4th quarter. Junior Anna Larson, along with freshmen LaTeah Willie, Allisa Schubert, and Allison Schubert have a combined total of 268 points, 43 assists, and 136 rebounds up to the Sidney game. Thomas Jefferson added another win to their 2-7 record Friday, January 6th when they took on Nebraska City Lourdes for an away game starting at 5:45pm.
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Anna Larson dribbling the ball down the court during a home game. Photo by: Cami Wagaman
The boys basketball team started off 2017 with a win playing in a close game Wednesday, January 3rd against Red Oak. TJ pulled through and won 53-52, after the Jackets outscored the Tigers by 1 point in the 4th quarter. Senior Daniel Carey, and juniors Chandler Squibb, Jeron
Sampson combined for a total of 36 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 steals on the night to lead TJ to victory. Check out more up to date scores and stories on our website bit.ly/SignalNews