Merrick Kohr
Staff Writer Ramadan is an important time for Islamic people across the world. Similar to many Christians, Islamic culture partakes in the act of fasting. Fasting is when religionists purposely refrain from eating food or drinking water for certain intervals according to their belief. Ramadan's beginning isn't marked by a specific date; it is determined by a moon-sighting committee in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Ramadan starts when the first crescent moon appears after the month of Shaban. Shaban is the eighth month in the Islamic calendar; Ramadan starts in the ninth month. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic calendar is based on moon phases to determine the months. When the crescent moon appears in Mecca, Ramadan starts for the rest of the world. Muslims from the United States in 2022 start their fasting on April 1st. During Ramadan, worshippers do not eat or drink while the sun is visible. They can feast when it is dark: very early in the morning and after the sun sets at night. The event lasts approximately 29-30 days. Before daytime fasting, Muslims will eat a breakfast dish called Suhur, which consists of fruits with lots of water such as watermelon, cucumber, and oranges. Suhur also contains grains, dairy, and other food with lots of carbs and protein to compensate for the lack of energy from not eating during the day. After dusk, Muslims are technically allowed to eat but most usually choose to eat very little. The last meal of the day during Ramadan is called Iftar. This meal mainly consists of fruits, vegetables, and meats. Young children, breastfeeding mothers, and the elderly are the only groups who exclude themselves from participation. This is because these people can be struggling with health, and that can make fasting more difficult. During Ramadan, Muslims aim to grow spiritually and build stronger relationships with Allah, the Islamic god. They do this by reciting the Quran, the holy Islamic book. Muslims also pray, focus on selflessness, and do not specifically partake in gossip, lying, or fighting. The start of this month-long celebration started in the 7th century. According to Islamic culture, a supposed angel named Gabriel drifted down from above to gift Prophet Muhammad the Qur’an. The time around when this event occurred was eventually given a name: Ramadan. Muslims fast during this time period to celebrate the revelation of their holy book. Muslims have a lot to look forward to after the celebration ends. The first day after Ramadan is called Eid al Fitr. On this day families and friends show gratitude to god after the long month of reflecting. This holiday is a great reminder to Muslims to be grateful for what they have and to share upon the less fortunate. For the rest of the world, being aware of the cultural and spiritual significance of Ramadan can strengthen intersocietal relations.
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Roman Davis
Staff Writer Most of the focus in March is on celebrations and events, such as Saint Patrick's Day and Pi Day; however, the month of March is rooted deep in history and deserves an honorable mention. A lot of history resides behind the month of March such as how it got its name, the contents in its calendar, as well as its astrology. March is named for the Roman god of war, Mars. Many of the other months were named after the Roman gods and goddesses as well, who all served different purposes that relate to the month. In Ancient Rome, March was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter. It was also a time of many festivals, presumably in preparation for the campaigning season. The Roman calendar, a complicated lunar calendar, had twelve months like the current calendar. Only ten of the months had formal names, changing after decades and added January (Januarius) and February (Februarius) to the end of the year. In the early Roman calendar, March (Martius) was the first month of the calendar year; as March brought the first day of spring with the vernal equinox, so it was considered the time for new beginnings and therefore the start of the year. People now follow the Gregorian calendar based on the ancient Roman calendar, believed to be invented by Romulus, who served as the first king of Rome around 753 BC. The calendar went through multiple changes after it was taken from Romulus’ hands and eventually became today’s calendar. With today’s interest in astrology, many people know about astrological signs like Leo, Capricorn, Aries and more. Ever heard the saying, “If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb?” Astrological signs are based off of the constellations, and the constellations called Leo and Aries are both visible during March. Leo, the lion, rises in the east at the beginning of March and thus the month “comes in like a lion.” while Aries, the ram, sets in the west at the end of the month, and the month “will go out like a lamb.” Astrology has changed a lot of today’s thinking as people focus on how the planets are moving, lunar cycles, as well as constellations. Some of the 2022 events are as follows: March 13th is the New Moon, Venus will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky on March 15th, and March 28th is the Full Moon. Many other things are happening in the month of March, but these things are not talked about much; many people favoring celebrations over other events. Instead of focusing on the popular events such as Saint Patrick’s Day, take a little bit of time to enjoy something such as one of the major astrological events. Ana Grover
Staff Writer Every March, people all over the United States turn their clocks one hour forward, whether they like it or not. Many people believe that the purpose of daylight saving time (DST) is to provide farmers with more daylight, although that is a myth! Plants and animals are not governed by time as humans are; they rely mainly upon the sun. Farmers still have to wait for the dew to evaporate off the hay before bailing it, no matter what time it is; many farmers do not favor the time change. This raises the question: why was DST introduced? Germany was the first country to adopt DST on May 1st, 1916 during WW1 to conserve fuel; most of Europe followed soon after. Almost two years later, the U.S. adopted the practice; it was unpopular and was soon abolished after the war. It was permanently and uniformly instituted in 1966 with the exception that entire states could forgo the clock changes. Today, Hawaii and Arizona are the only states in America that do not set their clocks forward every March; only 40% of countries worldwide observe DST. Arizona is situated far enough south that the state government opted out of the time switches because it did not affect their daylight very much. Not all of Arizona did, though; the Navajo Nation, situated mostly in Arizona, participates in DST. There is a smaller Hopi reservation, located fully within the Navajo Nation, that does not. This creates a daylight saving donut, with the Navajo Nation suspended an hour in the future for half the year. Even though DST was created to save power during wars, this is not the case anymore. In a study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research, it was estimated that it increased overall electricity usage by 1%! DST may help people reduce lighting costs, but costs of air conditioning and heating tend to go up due to the different sunset and sunrise time. Because of this, DST tends to be a controversial topic. In a survey of 84 Bonneville High School staff and students, 57% were against it. 64% reported losing over half an hour of sleep during spring forward; many students, however, commented that their sleep schedules were too irregular to be majorly affected by the jump. DST also seems to affect students’ mental health. Seven surveyed students mentioned stress and depression, and one student said that sleep deprivation combined with seasonal depression and the sun setting early adds up to a lot. Here are some tips for next year!
Kaysia Staggie
Staff Writer Throughout Bonneville High School, there are multiple events that are happening to spread kindness, such as Hope Week. Most Bonneville students have proven to be kind, positive, and considerate. Bonneville High School spreads bee pride city wide with their encouraging ways to become better people and asking for help with drives and fundraisers. Every little thing can put a smile on someone’s face if there is kindness behind it. Here are some of the numerous acts of kindness that have been spotted during this trimester:
From Bonneville High school throughout the city of Idaho Falls, there are thousands of people that need a pick me up. Giving someone the validation that kindness is still within the community may just spread more positivity. Spread the acts of kindness, and have bee pride! Roman Davis
Staff Writer February is the home of several events and holidays; some being Black History Month and Valentine’s Day. However, one that often gets overlooked is National Youth Leadership Month. National Youth Leadership Month is a month to celebrate young people who take on leadership roles within their communities. Most prominent examples of how people support this month are joining some of the groups for youth leadership, fundraisers, and helping out the community. The National Youth Leadership Forum is a group of summer programs designed to introduce high school, middle school, and elementary school students to different experiences to prepare them for leadership opportunities, college, and future jobs. One example of the summer programs are the Girl and Boy Scouts for the younger generation, teaching children about life skills both indoors and outdoors. Another program is National Youth Leadership Council, also known as NYLC, which teaches students to use academic and civic knowledge as well as skills to address genuine community needs. Some of those skills include working with others, survival and future job skills such as taking on a leadership role. These organizations often hold fundraisers to help around the community and teach the children how to take on bigger responsibilities. A foundation that focuses on that is the Tony Robbins Foundation. Their mission is to create positive changes in the lives of youth, seniors, the hungry, the homeless, and the imprisoned population (thetonyrobbinsfoundation.org). Being a nonprofit organization is hard, but with the help they give and the donations provided by the people, they continue to help out everyone in the community in need. Other groups, such as local food banks and shelters, allow adolescents to volunteer there to help out, or other places such as the American Red Cross and Meals on Wheels. These, like other organizations, teach life skills that many others may not have, like how to help others or yourself when in a difficult situation or tight spot. Most instances of this are being homeless or low on finances, needing everything that comes their way. Take part of this month by helping out in the community to make a difference, maybe volunteering at a local shelter or hospitals. For those who enjoy helping out, take a look at the other groups to join to help out and possibly learn some skills as well. Merrick Kohr
Staff Writer Jagger Eaton, from Phoenix, Arizona, took first place in the Men's Street League Skateboarding 2021 Super Crown World Championship. Eaton previously earned a bronze medal in the men's course division at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Eaton was added as a wildcard to the Lake Havasu Street League prelims and advanced to the finals in Jacksonville, Florida. The Street League Skateboarding Competition consists of a run where skaters must do as many tricks as possible within the time limit of 45 seconds. After the run segment, there are four best trick sections where skateboarders take turns attempting any single difficult trick. The scores the skaters receive is based on style, cleanliness, and consistency. The judges also may take points off if a skateboarder is repetitive and performs the same tricks. The judges score the skateboarders from one to ten. Eaton started off the men’s division of the Street League Skateboarding 2021 Super Crown World Championship in Jacksonville with a whopping 9.6 run score, setting the bar quite high. Street League Skateboarding Commentator Geoff Rowley included, “The standard is going to the moon already.” Shortly after, Australian skateboarder Shane O'Neill fired a pristine run scoring a 9.5. After Eaton’s initial run of a 9.6, he opened to the trick section with a switch-footed backside noseblunt scoring a nine, setting two very solid scores. Starting off the second best trick attempt, Gustavo Ribeiro became competition as he did a bigger flip front board coming down the handrail. Riberio scored a 9.1, landing in second place just behind Eaton. In the third best trick attempt section, Nyjah Huston hung on to a transferred kickflip backside lipslide on the long rail, bumping himself into first place. Huston’s top spot was snatched back when Eaton sent a nollie full-cab to switch backsmith down the handrail, bumping Huston down, and moving Eaton back into first. Skateboarders such as Lucas Rabelo tried to pass Eaton on the last trick segment but hopelessly failed to match his score. When the competition was over, Eaton announced, “I came out here with the intention to win. That’s what I came out here for. It’s an accumulation of a lot of hard work.” Eaton said. “This is such a team win. I’m so beyond stoked. Thank you to everybody who’s helped me over the years. Thank you Street League Skateboarding for putting on such a great contest. “I’m pumped!” When the dust settled, Ribeiro from Portugal took third place, Lucas Rabelo from Brazil took second, and the American Eaton walked away with first place and the title of the Super Crown World Champion. Ana Grover
Staff Writer Punxsutawney Phil: Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary. February 2 was Groundhog Day; on that day tens of thousands of people crowded into Gobbler's Knob, a wooded area about two miles outside Punxsutawney, PA. Every year, fans from all over flood the relatively small town of Punxsutawney to see the famed groundhog emerge from his burrow and predict the end of winter. Groundhog Day stemmed from the Christian holiday, Candlemas. According to an old English saying: If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again. When the holiday was brought to America by Germans in the 1700s, this poem was the origin of the groundhog-centric tradition. If the sun shines on Groundhog Day and Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter; if it is overcast and Phil does not see his shadow, spring will come early. The first official Groundhog Day was celebrated on February 2, 1886. Interestingly, the early Groundhog Day festivities included eating groundhog! This year, the celebration started on January 30 with a lunch attended by Phil. Later that day, Gobbler's Knob Got Talent, an open-judged talent show, was held. In the evening of the 31, the Groundhog Ball took place, followed by the Annual Groundhog Banquet the next day. Starting bright and early on the 2, shuttle buses transported fans from downtown Punxsutawney to the Gobbler’s Knob beginning at 3:00 a.m. for the fans who want to secure a spot near the burrow. “Hogspitality” Village opened at 4:00 a.m., offering food, beverages, and a live video feed of the Knob. Phil emerged from his burrow at 7:25 a.m. EST and predicted six more weeks of winter. Here are some fun facts about Punxsutawney Phil and Groundhog Day!
Kaysia Staggie
Staff Writer Trigger Warning: mentions of cancer February 4th is known as World Cancer Day. On this day, people around the world take charge to spread awareness and educate the public about cancer. There are many organizations, such as the Cancer Research Institute and the Union for International Cancer Control, that take their research around the world to help people understand how they can help cancer patients and how they can help extend the group's research. Many people/critics say it is all for the money, however, it is not; the research and investments spread information throughout the world on treatment, early detection, and give better health tips to prevent cancer. Donations from fundraisers are not only for research, but also for materials to help comfort and give proper care to cancer patients. The first ever cancer day was celebrated in Paris, France and Geneva, Switzerland. Many organizations had adopted the same passion for cancer awareness. The idea spread to have separate ribbons for each variation of cancer, including pink for breast cancer, orange for children with cancer, and purple for pancreatic cancer. There are also different stages of intensity, labeled 1-4, four being the most intense and dangerous. They also spread awareness about the medical bills and emotional trauma that coincides with cancer which can be very overwhelming. Cancer fundraisers can aid patients who are struggling with certain cancer-related problems and take a huge amount of weight off the patient and their loved ones. This day is all about making a difference in others lives and becoming involved in an adequate cause. Money problems are not the only issue that these organizations are trying to eliminate and spread awareness about. There are patients who hit setbacks and do not receive the proper care because of their age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disablities, religious beliefs, or lifestyle. World Cancer Day is a day to encourage everyone to stop the hate and lend a hand to defeat this devastating disease. There should not be descrimination within the medical field, and every cancer patient should be able to get the correct care they need. Support World Cancer Day by donating to fundraisers or volunteering at hospitals, homes, etc. Cancer is hard by itself and can create an abundance of stress; help make it a little easier by donating. Visit https://www.cancer.org/involved/fundraise.html to make donations. Ana Grover
Staff Writer Last September, the Dollar Tree franchise announced a permanent price raise in each of their 15,500+ stores by the end of the first quarter of 2022 (Dollar Tree). The changes will be mainly +25%, placing most prices at $1.25. Chief Executive Michael Witynski is sure that the new prices will be for the better, although many customers are not as fond of the idea. In an interview with CNN Business, Witnynski assured that shoppers were responding favorably to the price increases. Witnyski said, “Our brand promise is that customers get great value for what they spend at Dollar Tree … regardless of the price point, whether it is $1, $1.25, $1.50.” The strict $1 price did not leave any flexibility for Dollar Tree to introduce new, larger, and better quality products. This also forced them to discontinue several products. Additionally, Dollar Tree is the last of the big “dollar store” chains to sell merchandise for a dollar. CNN Business Writer Nathaniel Meyersohn wrote, “Dollar General, Family Dollar, 99 Cents Only and Dollarama … have sold stuff for more than $1 for years. Five Below … broke its strategy in 2019 when it started selling some items for up to $10.” Even though there is cause for the price raises, some shoppers are not happy about the changes. Many displeased shoppers have expressed their concerns and complaints via social media. TikTok user @lilloworldwide posted a video of her breaking down the cost changes. The video went viral, gaining over 119,000 views and many comments complaining about the increase. In the video, she layed out the 19 items she bought, pointing out that the total came down to $25.18 (Daily Dot). Although the extra $4.46 plus tax might not affect everybody, it could be a major problem for low-income households. Many viewers pointed out that while prices are rising, employee wages and product quality do not seem to be getting better. Dollar Tree was founded in 1986 with the idea to sell everything for $1, similar to the existing store called Everything’s A Dollar. Thirty-six years later, inflation has taken its toll on the company. $1 in 1986, when the company was founded, is equivalent in purchasing power to about $2.68 today, which results in a total price increase of 168.3% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Considering that, the price increase is a very logical decision for Dollar Tree to make. Very soon at the Dollar Tree, the iconic “Everything’s $1” signs that are used to dot the aisles may be missing. By March 2022, all of the eponymous $1 prices will be increased across the country. Maycee Todd
Staff Writer With Thanksgiving break coming quickly, it is time to start thinking of things to do with so much free time. Luckily for Idaho Falls, in the winter months, snow comes unexpectedly and rapidly, which means it is time for skiing and snowboarding! One of the most popular ski resorts in Idaho is Kelly Canyon Ski Resort. Kelly Canyon is an entertaining, memorable place that brings joy to many people during the winter months; it is a friendly place for friends and families . Skiing and snowboarding can only be enjoyed during a limited time, which makes many people love this time of year and value these sports more. In order to make it more enjoyable, Kellys has decided to add a three-seater chair-lift. This new lift, according to East Idaho News, is said to be well-known for night rides, with a beautiful view and scenery following the whole ride down. It is unknown where the lift will be placed, but it has been confirmed that the resort is adding the lift to eliminate extensive wait times, which has been a problem for two or three years. This is the first new improvement that Kelly Canyon has made in decades. Skytrac, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, has been involved with ski lifts and resorts when it comes to improvements that need to be made, they are rich in ski lift history, and they are preparing for one of the most difficult construction years ever. To add to this exciting addition Kelly Canyon will be holding a social media contest on what to name the new lift. This will involve the community in this exciting new season. Kelly Canyon has brought the Idaho Falls community together in regards to the energy that has been put into the resort, as well as the love and spirit when it comes to winter and these two sports. Improvement and change has been much needed for several years, this will give Kellys a whole new audience. |
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