Viewfinder: Issue 6, Volume 1

Caleb Grizzle Editor-in-Chief

Jason Fuhs

Editor Donminic Goosby Photo Editor

Erin Kim Cho Advisor

Blake Walker

Ashlee Seaton

Kristine Le

Taylor Thomas Alumni Advisor

Cindy Spellberg of Granger, Iowa casts her vote on election day in Granger, Iowa on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

HOW TO VOTE

By Claire Maixner | Photos by K.C. McGinnis | Designed by Caleb Grizzle

Voting can be scary but learning how to vote is a great place to start. Before anything else, you must reg ister to vote. Anyone over the age of 18 can register to vote by doing it online, mailing in the registration form, or in person on election day.

Once you have registered you are able to vote in your state of permanent residence. There are two ways to vote in the state of Iowa. You may either request an absentee ballot or vote in person. If you request an absentee ballot, it will be mailed to your house. You can then fill it out and mail it back or drop it off before the absentee dead line or at your polling place on election day. It is important to remember that the absen tee deadline is different from the date of election day.

If you would prefer to vote in person, you can go online and find your nearest poll ing place. Voting in person does require you to show your photo ID. You are also allowed to bring notes with you so that you do not have to memorize all your votes; however, cell phones are typically not allowed.

Iowa’s State General Election is coming up fast. Make sure to keep these important dates in mind when preparing to vote

• If you’re registering by mail, your voter regis tration must be received by 10/24/2022.

• If you’re registering in person, your voter registration must be received by 11/08/2022.

• The deadline to register to vote online is 10/24/2022.

• Early voting starts 10/19/2022 and ends on 11/07/2022 (In-person absentee voting is not available on election day at the auditor’s of fice unless the polls open at noon. If the polls open at noon, you may cast an absentee ballot at the county auditor’s office from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on election day.).

• If you’re returning your completed absentee ballot application by mail, it must be received by 5:00 pm 10/24/2022.

• If you’re returning your completed absentee ballot application by hand, it must be received by 5:00 pm 10/24/2022.

Execution of Des Moines Film’s mission has been and will continue to be victorious.

By Hugh McAuley| Photos by Mayeli Jimenez and Donminic Goosby| Designed by Caleb Grizzle

The newly opened “Chicken Shack” is be coming synonymous with its amazing chicken. The chain, which has been around for over 16 years, opened their 27th restau rant in their sixth state giving people the “Taste of Las Vegas” every time they come in for a bite to eat.

After looking at the menu, I was shocked at the number of options I had to choose from. The Chicken Shack sells its sig nature fried chicken in the form of fingers, wings, and bites. The restaurant also as it serves salads, fries, mac n’ cheese, wraps, chicken sandwiches, desserts, and plantbased meat products. The Chicken Shack has 24 different sauces to choose from and two types of rubs for the chicken, along with sev eral sauces for their fries.

According to the Des Moines Regis ter, the owner Justin Krull, stated that “the biggest thing that sets The Chicken Shack apart from its competition is the fact that the chicken is always fresh and never frozen, along with the portion sizes and a menu that caters to everyone.”

After all the hype, I had no choice but to go down and try it out for myself. To get the best results, three of my friends and I went to the restaurant’s two main rivals, in the same week.

The six-piece combo was the first meal ordered; it was $18.19, before tax. The combo included six wings, fries and a drink. To say we were disappointed when we first saw the size of the meal, compared to the price, was an understatement.

Sven Waldmeier, sophomore at Grand View said, “If I wasn’t so hungry, I would have asked a question.”

Regardless of this, the food was very nice, the meat tasted fresh, and the wings had us all agreeing that they were the best we had on our chicken pilgrimages. However, the exact same meal at WingStop is $10.29 and there is no extra charge if you want to add an other sauce to your wings. So, unfortunately, the competition won this one.

For the second meal, as per the cashier’s recommendation, we decided to try the buf falo chicken strip combo. This was $16.87 before tax and it included a drink. This meal was our favorite overall. The portion size was huge of the flavors of the buffalo chicken, along with the sauces that you could smoth er the meal in, were delicious. so make sure when you come to order this, you will come hungry. I still could not justify almost $17 for loaded fries. However, my friends completely disagreed with me saying, “This is the nicest meal I’ve had in three months of living here.”

For our final meal, we were saved from the extremely terrifying thought of ordering vegan chicken. This is because The Chick en Shack does not yet offer T.L.C (taste like chicken) products, which was amazing for me! So, instead, we went for the three-piece finger combo, which was $14.29. I was again shocked at the price but at this point, we had to keep going. When the food came out, the three pieces were bigger than usual, but compared to the prices at the competitors’ restaurants, I would not get excited. Again, there were no complaints about the food it self, hot, fresh and juicy chicken was all that we encountered, but it was hard to enjoy this great food without wondering what else we could have had for that same price.

If money is not an issue for you, this place is amazing, the staff is great, the food is quick, and the location is just five blocks from GV. But for me, if I am paying $20+ for a fastfood meal, then I am getting up and going to a proper sit-down restaurant where I can get a meal for the same price or even cheaper. How ever, I could not find any other problems with the place at all and would recommend to any one who is looking for some amazing chicken, just be prepared to get your wallet out!

By Linnea Hietala | Photos Provided | Designed by Kristine Le

Varsity Cinema Renovations

In the heart of Downtown Des Moines, the director of Des Moines Film, Ben Godar, leads renovations of The Varsity Cinema.

Renovations include adding an additional auditorium with the goal of expanding the program and allowing the flexibility to show a larger variety of films.

“Sometimes when you book a film, there are terms that ... kind of lock you in and if you only have one screen, you are sometimes just locked into showing that one film. Even two screens give us lots of flexibility, so we knew we needed that,” said Godar.

Creating a gathering space by expanding the lobby was another focus of Godar’s. This renovation intends to foster film discussion and provide an area for both formal and informal events.

Des Moines Film is a non-profit film arts organization focused on growing the film culture in the area. The Mahon family, who had operated the Varsity since the mid-fifties, announced at the end of 2018 that they would be closing, which caught the organization’s interest. While historical preservation itself is outside of Des Moines Film’s mission statement, the continuation of The Varsity’s historical legacy resonated with their vision.

“The Varsity is the last operating historic theater in Des Moines. The others have all closed, in most cases have been bulldozed or renovated, et cetera, so it felt important to us to preserve that as well,” Godar said. “It is a bonus for us, the location, because we have gotten to a point in Des Moines where all the theaters are in the suburban region... There are not any other movie theaters in the heart of the city, so we are proud to be doing that.”

The Varsity Cinema is known for its arthouse films. While the theater’s renovations provide a physical space to help Des Moines Film’s mission, the content shown will expand, too. The focus on arthouse cinema, which can be loosely defined as films with a niche target audience rather than a general one, will remain.

The Varsity’s opening will include various films, including film series and repertoire screenings of classic films.

“We don’t want our opening to be this really singular event in itself, I want it to be more reintroducing the space that’s going to be running all the time,” Godar said.

Godar explains how he hopes public perception will evolve upon the opening of the theater, reiterating the constant flow of new material intended to draw in and engage the Des Moines community. The Varsity will be showing films to appeal to everyone, including a new weekend matinee series called Cinema Club House, which will be directed toward kids and families.

Des Moines Film has received an outstanding amount of support from the community to support the renovations of the Varsity. The theater is a beloved part of the film culture in Des Moines. Nearing a hundred years, the building has developed a long-standing affection amongst the community.

Godar sees this love for the Varsity through its fundraising.

“People who donate at a certain level—it is a thousand dollars—can put a name on a plaque, on a seat. And some people are of course putting their own name or their family on a seat, but we have so many that are in memory of (Others),” Godar said.

He adds that in many cases the donors will explain that their family member, loved Varsity and that the theater was considered a special place within their family.

The widespread love for the Varsity is easily apparent through its fundraising process. The fundraising target for the Varsity was set at three million dollars, with only half a million dollars in fundraising left before meeting the goal. Fundraising events have taken place and will continue in the theater. An expanded membership program will be launching soon to further assist the renovation and opening process.

The Varsity Cinema is a staple of the film scene in Des Moines. The renovation of the theater is not only physical, as its content and events will expand to reach as many people within the community as possible. With the constant unwavering support from the people of Des Moines, the execution of Des Moines Film’s mission has been and will continue to be victorious.

Photographs By Donminic Goosby

“I’m better than most these dudes barbers with my one hand”

- Ray

I’ve been going to Ray ever since I was a freshmen. One of the biggest problems that I had going to school out of state is that I wouldn’t be able to go to my barber. So for about 2 months straight I didn’t get my hair cut. I just couldn’t trust anyone to put a razor near my head. That all changed the day I met ray. I ha ven’t gone to anyone else in Iowa since the first time he put that clipper to my scalp. My first experience

was walk in. I never met nor have I ever talked to a barber that was outside my homestate. When I first sat in the chair I felt relief because I was about to final get a cut. If you never met a barber that made you feel confident in them by just asking what you want..... Ray is your barber. After the cut he lets you look at his work and check if you like it. I remember him asking me if I liked the cut and the rest is history.

A Porkchop of All Trades

Apuppy playground of epic proportions, Paws and Pints is offering everything a dog lover would want in a retreat for their four-legged best friends. Boasting a 7.5 acre facility with a three seperate dog park, dog obedience and veterinarian space (coming 2023) for rent, and lodging and spa area. This mammoth structure not only houses Your Best Friend’s Bar (YBFB) which offers a full-service bar, snack kitchen, and coffeehouse, but it also has The Bonetique. This small, dog grocery store has everything for your furry friends from food and treats to clothing, toys, and even human clothing and goodies.

Imperial Canine Obedience is renting the space for dog training and has garnered 5-star reviews from its customers already. Tiffany Saenz is the owner who has been training dogs since she was 16 years old and boasts two gorgeous, show-quality Doberman Pinchers. The astoundingly large dog park stands out the most. It was built with a focus on the best experience for dogs and their owners. Using artificial grass and a drainage

Written by: Jason Fuhs | Photos by: Jason Fuhs|Designed by: Jason Fuhs

system underneath allows dogs to use the bathroom and not have to worry about foul smells in the facility. With doggy cleanup crews and cleanup stations located around the dog park, it makes for a pleasant experience and improves the hygiene of the facility.

Running a 14-million-dollar facility, cover ing 3.5 acres of land, would take someone spe cial, who has the mindset to look out for the well-being of the cuddly creatures many of us call our best friends. Keith “Porkchop” Jones, the Facility Manager of Paws and Pints, over sees the park. Porkchop has been a dog lover since he was a young kid and cannot remember a time without a dog in his life. He considers his new career as a dream job he did not know he wanted or needed. Porkchop has known the founders and owners of Paws and Pints, Kyle and Megan Casey, for five years and has been with them through the conception to realiza tion of their heavenly hound haven.

“I’ve been volunteering with them from the get-go, that’s how invested I am. Kind of always figured I was gonna land here,” Porkchop said.

Sam Hocker, the General Manager of the Mo’Tail and Spaw and longtime friend of the Casey’s, manages the 200-kennel lodging area that was being occupied by the furry friends for some quality time. The luxury accommoda

tions boast a camera and tv screen to monitor your dog while you are away. There are more basic accommodation kennels to better suit the budget-friendly canine companion. The spa portion includes a one-of-a-kind micro bubble therapy bath that is a lot like a hand held jacuzzi for dogs. They also offer a range of services for your hound that cover basic teeth cleaning and “pawdicures.” The Total Indul gence Package includes a complete grooming package, a choice between two daycare days or lodging, and gift bag swag.

Speaking of daycare, the facility has three different interconnected bays complete with garage doors with access to an outside play area. The daycare bays separate the dogs by temperament rather than size. This is complete with gorgeous artwork done by local tattoo artist, Chris Sullivan, who also painted the revered Dog Moines mural that is located in the large dog park. The Backyard, a 4.5-acre, fire hydrant-populated playground includes a tennis ball splash pad, Rainbow Bridge, Sukup event space, and so much more. From choosing which sod was to be laid down in The Backyard, what cleaning products the facility would use for doggy waste, and many products that go forgotten by the everyday customer, Porkchop has made this transition to this new profession seem like he was destined to do this.

“Anyone in the management team is not here strictly for a paycheck, you have to be invested,” Porkchop said. Besides the Caseys, Porkchop works with Kali Brudos, who is the Director of Operations/ YBFB. Brudos has been amazing to collaborate with and insightful to learn according to Porkchop. Every little detail is thoroughly cared for to make sure the new product is safe for humans and their companions. Porkchop, the Casey’s, Hocker, and Brudos all inspect the materials coming to the building to make sure it is all agreed upon throughout the company what is safe.

Porkchop revels in the newly found position that has allowed him to make him feel more fulfilled and accomplished in his daily life than he did before working with corporate companies.

Without hestitation, Porkchop said the most fulfilling part of his job was simply going to work everyday.

“Just waking up and driving here! It sounds so dumb, but we have talked about it forever, the last five years. Waking up and getting to walk into the building is mindblowing,” Porkchop said.

The Magic of Disney

What does a classic day at Disney look like? It probably starts bright and early in the morning so that your family can ride a crowded shuttle from your hotel to Magic Kingdom before the gates even open. One of your parents has a drawn-out plan of everything to see at the parks. When those gates finally open, your family walks through to see the castle shining bright and bubbles flying everywhere. The smell of sugar overtakes you as you spot the classic caramel apple with marshmallows as Mickey Ears and M&Ms as his buttons. You take a mental note to make your mom buy you one on the way out of the park later. As the day goes on you meet all of your favorite characters, ride all of the rides, and eat all of the food you can before going home and having the best night’s sleep ever.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets to experience the magic of Disney in person, usually due to money. Although Disney has never been the cheapest place to visit, their prices will be increasing during the latter part of 2022 and early 2023. AllEars, a website dedicated to Disney news, has published an article revolving around the price hikes to be expected.

• A Regular ticket (one day or multi-day) will get you access to one of the parks for the whole day. This price ranges between $109 to $159, which is an overall $30 increase from 2018.

• A Base ticket is like a regular day ticket but guests can stack how many days they want to go in order to visit more parks. The prices for the adult 1-3 day Base tickets are not increasing, however the 4 day ticket will be increasing from $447 to $596.

• The Park Hopper ticket is popular because guests can visit multiple parks in a single day (as long as they stay at the first park up until 2pm). Only the 3 day ticket will be jumping from $416 to $556.

• The Park Hopper Plus ticket is exactly the same as the Park Hopper, but includes the Disney water parks. The adult 1-2 day ticket will not have a significant increase, however the 3 day ticket will go from $438 to $577.

- Genie+ passes are the way to skip past the normal lines and experience the attraction faster. These are purchased per day and prices fluctuate between $15 to $25 in both DisneyWorld and Dis neyLand. In order to use these, guests must reserve the time they want to experience the attraction and show up at the “Lightning Lane’’ at the reserved time.

- A Lightning pass is another way to skip lines at the parks and it works the same as Genie+. However, Genie+ only allows line skips for all rides but the two most popular in each park, but Lightning passes work for every ride and range from $7 to $15 per person depending on the ride.

DisneyWorld and DisneyLand have an average combined 76 million visitors per year, with the Florida park (DisneyWorld) the most visited theme park in the world and the Cal ifornia park (DisneyLand) the second most visited. These attractions have been a magnet to families since 1955 when DisneyLand first opened its magic gates with tickets only costing $3.50.

Part of the heavy traffic comes from the Disney Passholders who can get into the park whenever they want and attend any of the special events, like Halloween week or Epcot concerts.

“The prices have gone up substantially since I first got my pass,” Hayley Maither, Florida resident and Disney Passholder said. “When COVID happened, they stopped selling Disney passes so if you let your pass expire you couldn’t get a new one.” Maither de cided to renew her pass during COVID despite the price increase because she is able to visit Disney with her family and friends as many times as they want, usually once a month. The Annual Passes will likely be seeing an increase next year, but not nearly as large of a jump compared to the 2020 increase. Disney Silver Annual Pass went from $519 to $539, Disney Gold went from $699 to $719, Disney Platinum went from $1119 to $1195 and Disney Platinum Plus went from $1219 to $1295.

Although paying that amount yearly may be worth it for a Florida or California resident, Maither said, “I don’t think I would

“The prices have gone up substantially since I got my first pass.”

-Hayley Maither, Disney Passholder

By: Ashlee Seaton | Photos By: Ashlee Seaton | Graphics by: Ashlee Seaton | Design by: Ashlee Seaton

cause it is when school is in session for a majority of the country. However, March through the summer months are more expensive due to kids being out of school. In December or October, prices are higher as large holiday events are held at the parks to attract more visitors. Another way to save money at Disney is to check Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or other selling sites to see if there are fam ilies selling their tickets.

What about flights and hotel stays? Flying to California and Florida are both expensive on their own, especially during the peak theme park season. Similar to park tickets, flight tickets fluctuate depending on the time of the year. During the spring break months, an average adult ticket can cost over $1,000 before baggage and other fees, but during low tourist season, tickets can sit around $200-$400 depending on where the guest is traveling from. Anoth er option is to drive depending on the starting location and the des tination of choice, driving can be significantly cheaper than flying.

Hotel stays can be cheap or expensive depending on the pref erences of the guest. If a guest flew in and does not want to pay to rent a car or take an Uber, the on-property or near-property hotels are going to be the smartest option because they are either a walk away from the park or a shuttle away. The bundles that the hotels give are pricier due to guests being given free transportation and other unnecessary perks, like the availability to rent a limo for a discounted price. The average price of these packages are around $3,736 as a base for an Orlando stay and California prices are based per night around $830.

Samantha Goodvin, mother of two from Waukee and Disney enthusiast said, “Fortunately we have a timeshare which helps with budgeting. We have already started saving because the prices are already so high up front that there are those extra things that you have to save for when you’re at the parks.”

Goodvin has visited DisneyWorld enough times she lost track of the double digits, so learning about timeshares has helped save a lot of money. Timeshares are a vacation ownership that guarantees a spot for a guest when they want to visit somewhere and they usu ally have good deals for the owners. A couple hotel companies that have Timeshare options include Hilton, Hyatt and Sheraton. One way to save money on hotel stays is using Airbnb, which is on average $100 or lower per night, depending on how close the stay is to the parks, occupancy, and amenities. Travel agents tend to give advice on Airbnb’s saying to only use them if you plan on doing other things than Disney on your trip because of car rental cost and parking cost (ranging between $25-$50 per day). If a guest drives from home to the vacation spot, that will eliminate rental cost and make the Airbnb stay even cheaper.

Guests cannot forget about food. People have to eat, so bud geting around this is a little harder. According to the budget layout on ZiggyKnowsDisney.com, table-service restaurants can cost $30$100 per traveler per meal, Quick-Service meals are $10-$30, and snacks are $4-$10. There are specialty food plans that families can purchase before the trip which costs between $55-119 for adults per day or $26-$47.50 for kids per day (depending on the plan). This plan is fantastic for guests who want to sit down for the includ ed three full meals per day and get the most expensive thing off of every menu, otherwise paying for the plan is not worth it.

AllEars recommends just planning for one big meal each day and then getting snacks when hungry. These budgeted snacks do not include the Mickey-Ear caramel apples because of the price. For example, a regular pretzel is $3.50 but a Mickey pretzel is $7.25. Eating breakfast at the hotel or getting dinner on the way back will also help save money, but if guests are adamant on getting the full “Disney Experience,” the Disney mobile app shows each restaurant and the average price for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The main question still stands, why are these prices contin uously increasing? One reason for the price increases is because visiting Disney is in higher demand every year, especially as the parks add more and more attractions. Star Wars World and Mar vel have recently joined the Disney parks and have been bring ing more of the demographics that the fan bases hold. So, the

more expensive the prices are, the less capacity Disney has to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

Keeping all attractions maintained is also a key to the high er cost. DisneyWorld and DisneyLand have around 100 attrac tions each that need to be maintained daily, fixed if broken down, and yearly repairs. Rides need to be repainted and repolished, restaurants go through a deep cleaning every night, and the streets themselves are continuously cleaned to keep the sparkly Pixie-dust-Disney alive. Disney has a high expec tation for how everything has to look and keeping up with that maintenance costs more and more as attractions are added.

Employees also must be paid well. According to wdwtravels, DisneyWorld itself has 77,000 employees that need to get paid and have their work costumes provided. After the boycott from Disney employees, in 2018 and 2019 demanding higherlivable pay, more of the Disney parks profit is going towards employee income.

Although a vacation at Disney can be the most memorable and magical time, it is hard for everyone to get that experience without severely breaking the

bank. Walt Disney’s original mission statement for DisneyLand was “It will be a place where parents and children could have fun.” Year after year, it seems Disney has strayed from the possibility of every group of parents and children being able to have fun at the parks as Walt Disney intended. As more budget friendly options make their way to Orlando and Anaheim, hopefully all families with a variety of incomes can discover the magic of Disney.

LIBRARY CARD PERKS

As the school year kicks off, Grand View students need access to educational re sources. GV has a library on campus that allows students to have access to computers, books, and a study space. Students may need access to other resources from libraries scattered throughout the Des Moines Metro Area.

Students and Des Moines community members are encouraged to sign up for a li brary card at one of the Des Moines Public Libraries because they provide opportunities for growth and learning. Des Moines has six public library locations throughout the city for students and community members to use. Five are neighborhood libraries and the sixth is called the Central Library, which is in down town Des Moines.

College students are expected by pro fessors to read, research, and write papers. A library provides a plethora of opportuni ties for students to fulfill these needs with a great bonus of it being free. Tim Paluch, marketing and communications director for DMPL believes libraries are an important resource for all. Libraries play a critical role in education because they offer technolo gy resources, programs, reading resources, and entertainment.

“I’m a big believer in the importance and power of public libraries,” Paluch said. “It’s es sentially the last remaining space where people

can visit and engage in technology, and litera ture, and not have to spend any money.”

Paluch said any Iowa resident can stop into a library location and get a library card. Some services are only available to Des Moines residents and rural Polk County residents. GV students that live on campus are eligible for full access if they bring in their ID and a piece of mail with their GV address on it. DMPL wants the public to know they offer plenty of great amenities other than just traditional books.

“Traditionally, people think of libraries as walking in picking up a book, or DVD to rent and then walking out. Here and in other pub lic libraries it is just so much more than that,” Paluch said.

Central Library, DMPL’s largest location, is about four miles from GV’s campus and of fers a variety of services. Tech Central is one offering at Central Library. It includes a green screen to use, camera equipment, laser print ers, and computer software programs all avail able to DMPL card holders. Other offerings at the Central Library location include historical archives, over 5,000 books, movies, CDs, an art gallery, meeting rooms, study spaces, and lots of comfy furniture that is great for studying.

Each of DMPL’s six locations varies in size but offers the same amenities. DVD rentals, books, programs for children, teens, adults, and families, study spaces, and much more.

A full list of amenities at each location can be found on their website at dmpl.org.

Libraries can also be wonderful places to create long-lasting memories. Jackie Board man, a freshman studying Theater Arts at GV, has had a library card in Des Moines for about five years. She enjoys going to the library to check out books because it reminds her of fun memories from her childhood.

“There was one book that every October my sister and I would always check out. We read it so many times we honestly should have just bought it at that point. It’s a fun memory,” Boardman said.

Sometimes students like to get off cam pus and get work done. Paluch explained, each of the Des Moines Public Library locations have study rooms and quiet areas for people to get work done in a controlled space.

“You can grab a study room for free, and grab a public computer for free, and just spend some time doing stuff there, too,” Paluch said. “So, I think it’s a good resource especially if you’re trying to get off campus and just trying to get some work done.”

Whether students are looking for enter tainment or learning opportunities. Getting a library card might be an essential school supply to add to their list.

By: Megan Mitchell | Photos by: Donminic Goosby | Designed by: Jason Fuhs

Women

for Keck

By Britsahna Nanthanorath | Photos By Donminic Goosby and Mayeli Jimenez | Designed by Donminic Goosby

As a university, Grand View is excited to welcme Dr. Rachelle Keck. Many stu dents have had interactions with her and have highlighted her positive qualities and have ex pressed their excitement about what she has in store for our university.

Junior Jayda Roethler, who is part of the dance team, has described her overall thoughts on Rachelle Keck as someone who is a “breath of fresh air to this University.” Since Roethler met her, she described Keck as enthusiastic and determined to give her all, for students and faculty. The change in having a “female” pres ident is refreshing for students like Roethler, who appreciates Keck’s support in all athletics and the initiative of inclusivity, especially to wards women in sports. Roethler shared that the dance team and the cheer squad often go unrecognized or are not seen as “important” as other sports on campus. Keck’s sen-timent to

wards the dance and cheer team felt recognized with the validating statement, “the dance team and the cheer team bring so much to the game day atmosphere.”

Roethler is curious how Keck can improve the safety for students living on campus. Ro ethler has not felt the safest on campus, with the lack of security in certain situations. She emphasized that Keck could potentially under stand and empathize with a female’s perspec tive of their feelings towards safety on campus.

Another student of Grand View, junior, Brooke Bogenschutz, who is involved in stu dent activities council and dance, shared her thoughts and impressions of President Keck. Bogenschutz feels represented and acknowl edged having a female president who is involved with student activities and organizations. She hopes Keck will involve students more with changing and improv-ing the University. As

Bogenschutz is also part of the dance team, she believes they do get unrecognized too. She men tioned that Dr. Keck has an Instagram account (@grand_view_u_president), that have photos posted where she is involved within the football game. Bogenschutz hopes Keck will begin in volving the dance and cheer team into the posts, giving recognition to those teams.

The first impressions of Grand View Uni versity’s new president are full of admiration and curiosity of what improvements will be made to our university. Students are excited to have a new president. At the presidential inau guration, many inspirational quotes were spo ken from President Keck emphasizing, “This future requires us as educational leaders, to dil igently lead this shift, delighting in equipping our students with the tools, skills, and mindset that will endure in a changing world.”

Pack up + go; The travel guide you never knew about

Suppose you ask anyone about the process of going on a vacation. I will venture to say that most people would acknowledge that planning a trip might be one of the most tedious and annoying things you must do as part of the “vacation process.” Thankfully, as time has gone on, we have started to see an increase in travel and vacation agencies who have stepped up planning your dream trip to somewhere you desire!

planning surprise getaways that champion the traveler experience, promote responsible tourism, and create community.”

When it comes to planning your vacation, Pack Up + Go does not just give you a random location and random places to attend while you are there, they have you fill out a survey that includes;

- Travel dates

- Travel preferences

- Travel history

- Traveler interests

- Traveler information

- Your budget

That is where Pack Up + Go can help you out. Founded in 2016, Pack Up + Go is a fresh take on vacation planning around the United States by letting the agency plan your vacation, and you will not find out the destination till the day you leave! Their mission is simple.

“Pack Up + Go encourages the pursuit of wonder, spontaneity, and exploration by

It should be said that when planning a larger vacation, the minimum budget price is $700. Just in the last year, this price has increased by more than $150 due to the rise in inflation and post-COVID-19 travel costs. If you fill out the survey with a budget less than the minimum requirement, Pack Up + Go automatically gets you set up for one of their other traveling option.

Speaking of which, not only does Pack

Up + do major vacations, but they also can plan simple plane/train trips, road trips, outdoor road trips, and staycations. Even if you have your entire vacation planned out but still need help with the traveling aspect, Pack Up + Go can help you out and make sure you are getting the most efficient route to your destination. The other types of vacations you can plan speak for themselves. If you fill out a survey for a road trip vacation, they give you a destination for said adventure and throw in tons of stopping points to enjoy along the trip

Staycations offered by Pack Up + Go are also available and are one of the company’s most used travel options because they find things for you to do locally that you can enjoy and some things you may not have known about before.

The second step to trip planning is quite simple. Pack Up + Go evaluates all your answers given in the survey and plans out your entire vacation based on your budget. This also pertains to all the other vacation

Butwhatifyoudidnotwant toknowwhereyouaregoing on vacation?

By: Blake Walker | Graphics by: Blake Walker | Design by: Blake Walker

options including staycations and road trips. No matter what, there is no planning involved for you the traveler.

The third step in the planning process is especially important. A week before your departure date, you will receive an email from Pack Up + Go containing information such as;

- The weather forecast for your destination

- A suggested packing list (EX: bathing suit, hiking boots)

- Any luggage size restrictions

- Where to go + when (EX: DSM Airport, Friday at 10:30 AM)

The fourth step is where things get exciting. You the traveler will receive a big envelope in the mail titled, “Surprise Trip Envelope” which you are instructed NOT to open yet. The envelope will include a curated list of recommendations based on your interests for everything from restaurants to nightlife, to rainy day activities, hotel directions, fun facts and much more!

On your departure day, once you have everything all packed and set to go, you are then directed to open your envelope to find out your vacation destination with no worry of planning ahead.

Pack Up + Go promies, “you’ll have the flexibility to choose your own adventure and set your own pace for exploring your destination.”

According to their website, they have already sent travelers to over 300+ destinations across the entire United States. They also pride themselves on updating their travel destinations monthly based on the latest top places to be.

One reviewer on their website wrote, “This vacation was clearly personalized for our goals for the trip in mind. All the activities and food recommendations were sublime – exactly what we wanted for our trip. We can honestly say that we cannot wait for our next surprise vacation with Pack Up + Go!”

If you are looking for a fun take on vacation planning the next time you plan to hit the road, sit back, and let Pack Up + Go do the work. You never know, you might be sent to a destination you will never forget.

This is what the contents of your “Suprise Trip Envelope” will include!

Scan the QR code to take you to Pack Up + Go’s website!

BIG GROVE BREWERY

opens in Des Moines

By Erin Nossaman | Photos by Mayeli Jimenez| Designed by Caleb Grizzle

A new brewery has opened in Des Moines on 17th Street. Big Grove Brewery, a combi nation of brewery, restaurant, and bar, is the third location of its kind to open. The Des Moines location is like the Iowa City and So lon locations, but the owners hope to bring in people from all occupations and backgrounds through beer releases and various events. Some events are in collaboration with local organizations such as the Animal Rescue League of Des Moines. “Yappy Hour,” was a recent free event for customers to bring along their dogs and pick up a gift from the ARL. They also host wedding rehearsal dinners, re ceptions, and even ceremonies in their large patio space.

“We are very much turning into a non-traditional wedding venue. Typically, people will go elope and then they will come back and have a party here,” said Addison Mit telstaedt, the event director at the new Des Moines location.

Big Grove has a 12,000 sq ft structure and an enthusiastic staff that creates a warm and friendly atmosphere for a wide range of clientele. Mittelstaedt, the event director for Big Grove in Des Moines has worked for the company for four years.

In addition to events such as “Yappy Hour,” Addison helps with private events, philanthropy and community events, and

taproom activities such as beer releases, large taproom events, and live music. She recent ly has been recognized by the Iowa Restau rant Association as one of the “40 Women to Watch in Hospitality.” Jessica Dunker, Presi dent, and CEO of the Iowa Restaurant Asso ciation said, “these honorees are innovators, leaders, mentors, and trendsetters in our in dustry.”

Mittelstaedt is just one of the friendly staff that helps set the vibe at Big Grove to be inviting and warm to its customers. The company is growing and is already planning to open a fourth location in Cedar Rapids built from the ground up. It will be different from the other locations in the way that all the other locations were built from existing structures. The Cedar Rapids location will pri marily be a lager house. “They lay in vertical tanks, and it takes about 6-8 weeks for them to brew. It is just a different style of beer,” Mit telstaedt said.

Big Grove has a large outdoor patio with ample seating and a play lawn for customers to relax and enjoy their time. It is also great for families with younger kids, in the warm er months it allows for kids to run and play while the adults can order food and drink and play cornhole. Big Grove has a fun and laidback atmosphere. The restaurant industry can sometimes be uninviting or unfriendly,

but customers at Big Grove say that everyone is smiling and happy. Amy Marckres, a parttime manager, bartender, and events coordi nator has worked for Big Grove for over five years. When asked what makes Big Grove stand out from other breweries and restau rants around Des Moines, she expressed that she loves the relationship they have with the community and the culture of the restaurant.

Big Grove Brewery’s menu has a variety of elevated pub-style dishes. They describe their menu as street food inspired by small plates and sandwiches. They also have a special diet and vegetarian options. Some of the popu lar things to order are the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, Tuna Poke Bowl, or BBQ Pulled Pork. They also have an award-winning beer menu with their expanding list of craft beer, lagers, and ales.

Big Grove Brewery’s new location in Des Moines is a great spot for customers of any age who are looking for a casual dinner or drinks. Since it sits on heavily traveled Ingersoll Ave, it will attract lots of residents of the area and those just passing through. With its plans for collaborating on events with different organi zations around the metro, Big Grove Brewery will be a terrific addition to Des Moines.