I downloaded the side-panel tabbed storymap template. Following instructions, I added my (non-time-enabled) maps.
The README file for the template says to get rid of the time info, "open the layout.js file search for mapOptions then add or remove map options." Well, first it's not in layout.js. It's in map.js. But I did find it and set it as follows:
I had to track down some other references to the time slider and set them to 0px too, but eventually I got rid of the slider. However, there is also a Time Display, and I can't get rid of that no matter what I do. If I just eliminate it's <div>, I get an error. If I set the size of the <div> to 0px in height and width, the code is ignored. I've gone into the layout css file too and looked for everything that seems to relate to the Time Display and set the size to 0px.... Nothing kills it. The best I've been able to do is not have it load initially, but it shows up as soon as you click on a tab.
Please tell me how to get rid of the time DISPLAY. ESRI may also want to consider updating the incorrect info in the README and updating the file to include this info as someone who doesn't want the slider probably also doesn't want the display.
