Despite the clouds in the sky and the brisk mid-April air, my first time in California was one to remember. The state has an extensive array of things to offer. While mostly exploring the coast of Southern California I got to experience the coastal beach life and visit multiple beach towns on my way. Other than visiting the inland cities of San Diego and Los Angeles, we stopped at Imperial Beach, Coronado, La Jolla and San Clemente.   Coronado The beach town of Coronado offered a blissful afternoon full of perfectly curated shops and restaurants that attracted the eye. To start the d ..read more

The first season of “Fallout” premiered on Prime Video in early April, and the series has already been renewed for a second season. It’s little surprise why, as the show has been extremely well received by casual viewers and critics alike, earning a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and skyrocketing to #1 on Prime Video. For a video game adaptation, this is somewhat surprising news. Historically, the genre has been riddled with notoriously bad productions, so much so that when “The Last of Us” premiered on HBO last year, it shocked many viewers because of how unapologetically good it was. Much to the joy ..read more

In the fall of 2014, Iowa State alumnus Clayton Mooney moved back to Ames and enrolled in ECON 334 (Entrepreneurship in Agriculture) at Iowa State University. During the class, he met four other students and worked with them to develop the idea of KinoSol, Mooney’s first agricultural technology business. Following this creation, Mooney’s time was spent abroad in developing regions, where he helped implement KinoSol’s solar food dehydrators. As he traveled the world installing solar food dehydrators in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Brazil, one question was always at the forefront of his mind: Ho ..read more

Media is everywhere, and we are constantly consuming. Whether you are scrolling through social media, watching movies or listening to music, our brains are constantly absorbing new information.  Podcasts can be accessed through Spotify or Apple Music and are typically focused on one topic, ranging from self-help, language practice, crime, religion or just about anything you can imagine. “The Psychology of your 20s” by Jemma Sbeg is a podcast currently on the rise, especially for college students and people in their 20s.  Sbeg explores topics of psychology and relates them to common s ..read more

Spring is the perfect time to get out of your house and go out and about around town. There are abundant events in and around Ames for people to enjoy the nice weather. Spring Enchantment Spring Enchantment is an event that Reiman Gardens will be holding for the entire month of April. The event includes different excursions inside of it as well. Every Tuesday in April, the garden will allow you and your dog to roam the gardens together for a fee. Local artists’ fairy houses and whimsical designs will also be showcased all month long. Reiman Gardens also has its bulb show going on. See their tu ..read more

Community members celebrated the 54th annual Earth Day on Monday, making efforts to preserve the planet in the Ames and Iowa State communities. “I always reduce, reuse, recycle,” said Makenzie Myrum, a freshman in pre-architecture. “I save plastic bags and reuse them and always use reusable water bottles.”  CyRide offers buses to and from campus and to Ames, making it one solution for students looking to make an impact. “I always make sure I recycle and try to take public transportation to and from campus instead of taking my car,” said Brenna Vierling, a freshman criminal justice major ..read more

Taylor Swift’s new album “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology” was released April 19 at 2 a.m. Swift’s new album has been anticipated since its announcement at the Grammys on Feb. 4 after Swift received her 13th Grammy. The album was slowly introduced when Swift released the first single of the album, “Fortnight [feat. Post Malone]” April 18 at midnight. Swift later announced that the album would become “The Anthology” since she had surprise-released 15 extra songs that she had written for the album. Currently, “The Tortured Poets Department” consists of 31 songs and is her longest al ..read more

The First Amendment Committee is holding the Feast on the First, an event featuring Poorly Drawn Pets and more. Poorly Drawn Pets is a fundraiser event for the Story County Animal Shelter where anyone can donate money to have their pet drawn. The event as a whole will be held on Central Campus and is open for anyone to attend Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fundraiser itself is a digital one, with photo submissions and a $25 donation being made to this link in order to have a pet drawn. The finished product will be emailed in the weeks following the event. This year’s First Amendment Days ..read more

Content warning: This article contains mention of sexual assault. The month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). SAAM’s goal is to raise awareness, educate communities about sexual assault and empower and support victims of sexual assault. SAAM also pushes to help create prevention efforts against sexual assault and fight the stigma victims face. Since 2020, Iowa State has seen 56 individual crimes within the realm of sexual assault, according to the Iowa State University 2022 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Even though the report for 2023 has not been released yet, a lar ..read more

The work of student artists who participated in the Focus: Artist Grant Program was displayed in the Memorial Union Art Gallery at a reception April 3. Focus is an Iowa State campus organization that has been supporting students in the arts since 1972. Students of any major can apply for a grant of up to $600 for projects in the visual arts, apparel design, writing, theater, dance and musical performances. The exhibit is on display in the Memorial Union Art Gallery until April 25.  Letitia Kenemer is the committee chair of the Memorial Union Art Programs. She is part of the committee that ..read more