Special to the Times Vedette
With only a month of publishing, the total subscriber count for the Times Vedette digital emails is now at 729 and continues to grow each issue.
“We are inching closer to the 1,000 mark, and I suspect we will be there soon,” says Shane Goodman, editor and publisher.
The twice-weekly newsletter is emailed over the lunch hour each Tuesday and Friday and includes timely results of games or meetings from the prior evening or that morning.
“We are still learning,” said Goodman, noting that the jump to email has been welcomed by those who are used to getting their news digitally and sometimes confusing for those who aren’t.
Goodman encourages all current subscribers to forward their newsletters to friends and family who may be interested in subscribing. Subscriptions are free and can be completed in seconds at www.gctimesnews.com.
He also stresses that the only data collected are the names and email addresses, and that the information is not sold or used in any other way like Nextdoor, Facebook or many of the Big Tech companies do.
“I take my own privacy, and everyone else’s, very seriously,” said Goodman.
Those who paid for subscriptions to the printed edition of the Times Vedette in 2023 and did not donate their unused portion to be a “Friend of the Times” will be receiving their refund checks in the next week, if they have not already.
Small, medium or large? Those options sound simple enough, but my how have they changed in the last few decades.
I stopped into a convenience store the other day to buy a small fountain drink. I searched for the small cups. And searched. And searched. The “small” was 24 ounces — the equivalent of two 12-ounce cans of soda. The medium was 32 ounces, and the large was 42 ounces! Each of those options was far more soda than I wanted.
So, I walked over to the cooler and looked for a simple can of soda. And looked. And looked. The store I was at only sold 20-ounce plastic bottles of soda. I was working up a thirst just trying to find a small soda option.
Then along comes Starbucks and throws another wrench in the serving cup dilemma. I don’t go to Starbucks very often, but when I do, I have to remember that a small coffee is a Short, a medium is a Tall, and a large is a Grande. My, lord, this is confusing, and I am not even into the sizes of Venti or Trenta, or whatever they are called.
What changed? Why is a small no longer small, and why is a large a behemoth? Has our consumer behavior really dictated this?
A 2012 story in Mother Jones explained the trend at the time, noting that when McDonald’s struck a partnership with Coca-Cola in 1955, the only beverage size available was a 7-ounce cup. By 1994, McDonald’s was offering fountain drinks size six times larger. The article goes on to state that franchise convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Kum & Go all offered drinks upwards of 85 ounces — about three times the capacity of a normal human stomach!
After further research, I learned that, yes, our consumer behavior is dictating this. But, don’t fret, there is a one-word solution for all of this oversizing: share.
Thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115
During February, we have some books and movies reflecting Black excellence in America available for check out.
Special to the Times Vedette
February is Black History Month, which began in 1925 when Carter G. Woodson and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week. Woodson’s intent was to raise awareness of African Americans’ contributions to civilization. The event was first celebrated in February 1926 during a week that encompassed the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. During the bicentennial in 1976, President Gerald R. Ford expanded the observation to a month. The theme for 2024 is African Americans and the arts.
MJB Library has several displays to highlight Black History Month. There is a display featuring biographies of Black Americans including Louis Armstrong, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, John Lewis and Martin Luther King, Jr, to name a few. Additionally, another display focuses on Black authors. The children’s section features displays highlighting civil rights leaders, Black scientists, leaders and athletes, as well as a timeline chronicling the evolution of Black History Month.
Another display at MJB Library highlights the best books from 2023, and another features some of the most popular new releases with our patrons. For those looking for a Valentine’s Day read, we have a display featuring books appropriate for the holiday. Finally, for folks looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a quiet evening at home, check out our display of Valentine’s Day movies.
Get your teams registered for the second annual Friends of the Library Trivia Night, which will take place on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Guthrie Center Activity Center. Dinner, catered by the Cabbage Rose, will begin at 6 p.m. followed by trivia at 7 p.m. Teams may be up to eight people. Tickets cost $35 for dinner and trivia and are available at Mary J Barnett Memorial Library.
Lunch and Learn will be Wednesday, Feb. 14, from noon-1 p.m. The Guthrie County Extension office will present information about their Spend Smart, Eat Smart program. Recipes will also be shared. The event will also include a light lunch.
Judi Zimmerline will lead card-making class on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 9-11 a.m. The $5 fee includes all materials needed to create exquisite cards.
Cookbook Club members will be choosing a recipe from Ree Drummond’s newest cookbook entitled “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready.” Members will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15 to share their dishes and to discuss the book.
Boredom Busters will meet at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21 to create an imaginative craft. All youth are welcome to attend.
MJB Library has some new movies. Stop in and check out “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “Captain America: Winter Soldier,” “Indian Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” “Sound of Freedom”, or “Joe Pickett season 2.”
The Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library is located at 400 Grand St. in Guthrie Center. Contact us at 641-747-8110 or mjblib@guthriecenter.lib.ia.us. Visit us online at www.guthriecenter.lib.ia.us.
Stop in to look at the lovely quilt on loan from Jerri Hawkins. While you’re there, grab a book from our Valentine’s Day display or borrow a movie from our Valentine’s Day movie options.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: ALIYAH FORTNER By Taylin Woolheater, sophomore, staff writer
During Aliyah’s free time, she enjoys reading, biking and training her dog. She grew up in Huxley, and her biggest challenge was moving to a new school and having to start all over again. If she could talk to her younger self, she would tell herself everything will be OK. She explains her high school years have been like a reality show. At Panorama, she has been involved in football cheer, wrestling cheer, basketball cheer, FFA and soccer. Aliyah’s biggest role model is her mom because she is the strongest person she knows, and every day she tries her hardest to emulate her and her wisdom. Over time, Coach Wesselmann has impacted Fortner the most, and Mr. Hameister is her favorite teacher at Panorama because he gives good advice and can help make difficult moments better. The most challenging senior task for her has been taking on a leadership role in football cheer and spearheading summer practices.
Aliyah plans to attend college for biology or nursing after high school. She plans to achieve her goals after high school by working hard and following God’s plan for her life. In 10 years, she imagines herself living somewhere warmer and having a job she loves. Her biggest accomplishments so far are obtaining her CNA certification and her pinning ceremony. When she looks back at this school year, she will mainly remember the special connections she has made through her school activities. Aliyah’s advice for underclassmen is to sign up for sports, activities and clubs because many wonderful friendships and relationships can be formed from them. She wants to be remembered for being kind and gracious toward others.
__________________________________________________
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: LINDY NELSON By Hailey Hellman, freshman, staff writer
Lindy Nelson is a senior at Panorama this year. She plays basketball and softball. Also, she plans to go to college for softball and study business. Lindy found it difficult to stay on top of her classes, but, in the end, is proud of the person she is today. If she could tell the underclassmen anything, it would be to go to sporting events, spend time with your friends, and care about your grades. Most of all, she looks up to her dad for never giving up on her when others did.
Lindy describes herself as independent, hardworking and respectful. She loves chili, crackers and cheese. In her free time, she watches “Grey’s Anatomy” and hangs out with her friends. Her favorite quote is, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Overall, Lindy wants to be remembered as the girl who is nice to everyone.
__________________________________________________
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: RILEY GIBSON By Jessy Randol, freshman, staff writer
Riley Gibson has been involved in FFA, dance team, speech, drama and NHS. After high school, she plans to attend a four-year college to receive a marketing degree. Riley plans to achieve her four-year college degree by working really hard to help her in the future. Riley’s favorite teacher has been Mrs. Perez because she loved taking Spanish class with her and she found a way to make her laugh. The most impactful coach to Riley is Mikeely Denger because she has made long and tiring practice fun. Riley’s biggest challenge in high school was her junior year because there were many tough classes.
Riley grew up in Panora. If she could go back and tell her younger self something, it would be to make sure you get your work done immediately and to not procrastinate. Riley looks up to her dad because he seems to know the right answers to everything. In 10 years, Riley sees herself with a full-time job living in England. When she looks back at this school year in her later years, she will remember speech and her friends the most. Riley’s biggest and most proud accomplishment was when she was crowned the 2024 Guthrie County Fair Queen. We all can’t wait to see what remarkable things Riley will do in the future with her big dreams. Panorama will miss seeing her bright and spirited smiles around school.
__________________________________________________By Aden Rochholz, sophomore, staff writer
TATU was made to help educate kids about tobacco. TATU stands for Teens Against Tobacco Use. High schooler students who participate in TATU help fifth-grade students learn about the dangers of tobacco. TATU happens once a week for six weeks, and every session is 45 minutes.
TATU is important because students should learn about the dangers of tobacco early. It helps them learn how to avoid tobacco even with peer pressure. The students also learn about the negative effects of tobacco on the human body.
On Team Druivenga are Landon Kirtley, Cayden Iredale, Elah Molloy, Evelyn Hummel, Brayden Gaivan, Austin Wagner, Anna Thompson, Trey Boettcher and Ashton Kunce. On Team Coy are Joel Cooper, Sawyer Simmons, Faith Recker, Ava Thompson, Morgan Crees, Brayden Meinecke, Dylan Donovan and Aden Rochholz. Deanna Van Gundy, the school nurse, is in charge of this program at Panorama.
__________________________________________________By Lillie Greenlee, freshman, staff writer
There are many important skills and habits that help students be the most successful they can be. One skill is making sure you get all of your work done on time. Another skill is being able to make sure you have time for everything, so time management. Lastly, it’s important to get in the habit of studying.
Getting your work done on time is obviously vital for passing a class. Not only that, but actually putting in effort on your work is important for learning. If you’re just doing it to get it done, but not doing it right, you’re not really learning anything. For me, I feel on edge if I don’t have my work done, but that’s also because I’ve just always made sure to get it done. I feel so relieved when I get my work done because I don’t have to worry about it anymore. I feel so much better when I actually put effort into something. I feel proud, and I don’t feel nervous about turning it in. When I do something and don’t try, I have no expectations and no confidence. Personally, I like to feel proud of my work and to know that I actually tried.
The next skill really goes along with the first one, but it’s still very important. Time management is important for not only your school life but your home life as well. If you’re in a lot of sports, have a job, or are just busy, it can be difficult to have time for your school work, too. However, just because you’re busy, that doesn’t mean you should be excused from getting your work done. Whenever I have something going on, I try and get my homework done right after school. Really, I try to do that in general, though. You should set goals and have your priorities straight. Even if you are in sports, your school work should come first, because if you don’t do well on that, you can’t participate in sports anyway. If you’re an extremely busy person, a good idea would be to get a planner or a calendar of some sort. That way, you can see all of the things you need to do, and you can make sure you do all of them. Having a lot of work can be overwhelming, so this could really help. I would definitely say that if you can help it, do the things that are most important first, even if you don’t want to. You shouldn’t put things off, especially if they’re important. If you really don’t have time for schoolwork outside of school, you should try to get it done in school. For example, if you have a study hall or work time, you should use that time efficiently for work and not get distracted.
Lastly, a very important habit is studying. I know this is something a lot of people don’t like doing. However, it’s vital for doing well in school. People will complain about how they didn’t do well on a test, but they didn’t do anything to prepare for it. Plus, there are a lot of fun ways to study. It’s also not like you have to study for hours in one night. I would definitely suggest studying for a shorter amount of time multiple times than just for a long time only once. That takes a lot less time, and I feel more ready for a test when I just study multiple times.
In conclusion, there are multiple easy things you can do to help you do much better in high school. Getting your work done is important for your grades and well-being. Time management is very important to not be stressed and to make sure you have time for everything important. Lastly, it’s important to get in the habit of studying. All of these skills will help you become the best student you can be. They are easy once you get in the habit of doing all of them.
__________________________________________________By Miyah Small, eighth grader, staff writer
The Panorama High School Dance Team hosted the annual winter dance clinic. There are many participants ranging from preschoolers to seniors on the dance team. The clinic has a different theme every year. There are many different styles of dance depending on the theme.
This year, the theme was “Snow Day.” With the theme being winter, one of the dances was choreographed to the song “Let it Go” from the movie “Frozen.” All of the participants received pom-poms to dance in the group finale with and a T-shirt to wear during performances. After the clinic was over, anyone who wished got some hot cocoa to make it feel like a real snow day. The dance routine was performed at the Show of Shows and halftime of the boys basketball game.
__________________________________________________By Holliday Mertens, freshman, staff writer
Did you know that YouTube started off as a dating website? It’s true! In April of 2005, YouTube was founded as a dating website where people would make videos introducing themselves. Under where you would sign in, the website said, “I’m a (male/female) seeking (everyone/males/females) between (18/99) and (18/99). The first video uploaded on YouTube was by one of its founders, titled, “Me at the zoo.” After YouTube being a dating website, its founders changed it to a website to upload any type of video for simple fun.
After a while, YouTube would become one of the biggest social media platforms in the world. YouTube started paying content creators, and videos would become more high-quality. Some big channels from the past and present include Smosh, PewDiePie, MrBeast, and more. The current most subscribed channel is Indian music company T-Series.
To summarize, YouTube has gone through major changes to become what it is today.
Information for this article was obtained from archive.org.
__________________________________________________By Marlee Herring, eighth grader, staff writer
Mrs. Carla Church is retiring from Panorama at the end of the school year after 10 years of service. She is the TAG teacher for elementary, middle and high school students. She pulls elementary students for acceleration in math and enrichment in English language arts and helps them expand their opportunities. In the middle school, she organizes teams for academic competitions like First Lego League, Battle of the Books, Mathcounts, and Knowledge Bowl. She also helps high school students with their schedules, as well as other various academic opportunities.
She says that she is proud of helping students accomplish things they previously didn’t think they could and challenging them to expand their minds to new things. She says when students do difficult things, they can be rewarded by the results.
She says she will miss the students and seeing them grow up during their time at Panorama. One thing she won’t miss is waking up early in the morning. After retirement, she plans to be a grandma but really doesn’t know what else will be in store for her. She knows she wants to travel to Europe to visit the foreign exchange students she has previously hosted.
We thank Mrs. Church for her commitment to Panorama students. Be sure to congratulate her and wish her luck on her next adventure.