Monthly Archives: February 2019

Who is not running for president?

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By LIAM FABRE

Earlier this week, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont announced his candidacy for president of the United States. Sanders is now one of the seemingly thousands of people who are seeking the Democratic party nomination.

So how will Sen. Sanders differentiate himself from the rest of the pack? The answer lies in the new, somewhat divided, make-up of the Democratic Party.

The candidates standing on the Democratic Party debate stage will be divided into three categories. The socialist camp, the inter-sectional camp and the establishment camp.

The socialist camp is where our beloved, “Bernie” finds himself, along with Sen. Elizabeth Warren. These candidates are self-proclaimed socialists, focused on redistribution of wealth through various governmental programs such as free tuition, free health care, etc.

The inter-sectional camp focuses on inter-sectional ideals which can be boiled down to a “pro diversity” mentality. Inter-sectionality encourages diversity in government by appointing minorities to positions of power. Candidates who flaunt the fact that they are female, persons of color, or members of non-Judaeo-Christian religions as a means to promote themselves, fall into this category. Candidates such as Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and Kirsten Gillibrand find themselves in the inter-sectional camp.

The last is the establishment camp. This is made up of candidates who have had long careers in government and are strongly supported by their party. Joe Biden is one of the only politicians in this camp.

It is clear that the winner of the nomination will be the candidate that can check the most boxes, meaning the one which has roots in the most groups. In my opinion, Sen. Sanders does not have a legitimate chance at the nomination, since he is only able to check one.

Vietnam Airlines soon to fly to U.S.

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By HUY TRAN

Vietnam is all set to receive permission to fly directly to the U.S., and Vietnam Airlines plans to launch four flights a week.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has declared that Vietnam now complies with international safety standards, giving its airlines the opportunity to fly to the U.S. and codeshare with American carriers.

The FAA has awarded the country with the Category 1 (CAT 1) rating, which means air carriers from the country may initiate or continue services to the US and take part in reciprocal codeshare arrangements with US carriers.

Vietnam Airlines CEO Duong Tri Thanh told local news media that the carrier would begin with four flights a week to Los Angeles and later daily flights to the West Coast, which is home to a large Vietnamese community.

There are currently no direct flights between the two countries, in spite of a large market catering to tourism and trading. All passengers must transit in another country or territory such as Qatar, Korea or Japan, with a total travel time of 18 to 21 hours.

Vietnam’s aviation industry has seen increasing demand in recent years. According to the CAAV, Vietnam welcomed more than 100 million passengers passing through airports in the country in 2018.

The number of flights in the country grew by 16 percent on average between 2010 and 2018, according to official data.

But there are also concerns about possible losses. Thanh said it would take at least five years for the direct service to the U.S. to break even, and there could be an annual loss of $30 million in the first few years.

It would take at least five years for the national flag carrier to break even, he added.

Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), said that local airlines would need to purchase larger airplanes as most of the existing fleet cannot manage such long flights.

Ohio State student kidnapped, killed

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

On Monday, Feb. 11, 20-year-old Ohio State University student Skylar Williams was kidnapped by her 24-year-old ex-boyfriend Ty’Rell Pounds from the campus parking lot. Later that day, Pounds fatally shot Williams after being stopped by Kentucky State troopers.

The couple began dating in high school and were in a tumultuous relationship for nearly three years.

In the Richland County Court, Pounds alleged that Williams was abusive towards him throughout the relationship, but never filed charges because she claimed to create false allegations if he took her to court.  

Last October, however, Pounds filed a restraining order against Williams after he alleged that she hit him at North Central State College. Then, this January, Williams reported an incident that occurred outside of a Mansfield, Ohio, gas station with Pounds in addition to filing a rape charge against him originating from an incident she claimed occurred in September 2018. Pounds insisted that Williams fabricated that claim because he did not pay to get her mother’s car fixed.

Records show that the couple also shared a 1-year-old child.

The Richland County court records showed that visitation of the child by Pounds required supervision by a third party in order to make contact between him and Williams unnecessary. According to the affidavit, Pounds also said he believed it would be in the best interest of the child to be under his custody.

In the news conference Wednesday afternoon held by Kentucky State Police, the patrol commissioner said KSP became involved at around 3:24 p.m. Monday after a 911 call was made by a witness. In the call, the witness claimed to have seen “a distressed female at a gas station in Gallatin County mouth ‘help me’ while being forced by a male into a dark-colored Dodge Caravan.” Soon after, the police located the van and tried to stop it, but Pounds continued to drive, prompting the police chase.

Eventually, the trooper pursuing the car noticed Pounds wearing a bulletproof vest and holding a gun. Joey Brown, the state trooper, then used a pit maneuver, flipping the car on its side. Brown then got out of his patrol unit and instantly heard gunshots from inside the van, causing him to shoot at Pounds.

Pounds was pronounced dead at the scene, but Brown attempted to give Williams medical attention until ambulances came. She died soon after arriving at the hospital.

In my opinion, the reporting on this case seemed objective, factual and complete. They explained plenty on the history of Williams and Pounds’ toxic relationship, allowing readers to conjure up their opinions on the situation. Unfortunately, two lives were lost and a child was left orphaned. I also appreciate that many of the articles provided The National Domestic Violence Hotline number at the end in order to prevent further tragedies.

National border emergency declared

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By MCKENZIE STOUTE

After lots of speculation, President Trump declared a national emergency over border security on Friday.

This decision came after Congress wouldn’t give the president the $5.7 billion he asked for to build the wall, that he previously stated that Mexico was going to pay. This resulted in a 35-day government shutdown, the longest U.S government shutdown in history. In order to avoid another shutdown President Trump signed a bipartisan spending bill that allocated him $1.38 billion for border barriers. This falls more than $4 billion short of what Trump sought.

The president has received backlash for this, with many Democrats saying it is an unconstitutional abuse of his authority.

“We’re talking about an invasion of our country,” President Trump stated in defense of his actions. Trump plans to draw $6.7 billion from the military, $2.5 billion from counter-narcotics programs and $600 million from the Treasury Department.

Yet, this is the closest that President Trump has gotten to fulfilling his promise of building a wall along Mexico’s border.

Parkland victims reflect one year later

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By CAMILA MUNERA

The New York Times published an article on Feb. 14 remembering the Parkland Incident. It is the one-year anniversary since the devastating and heartbreaking shooting that happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school in Parkland, Fla. The article written by Patricia Mazzei is beautifully written since it not only outlines the horrific events that happened this day but also shows the lasting impact one year later. 

In the article, photographs are taken by Eve Edelheit. These photographs I believe are the strongest element of this article and why photography is so important in journalism. In a series of interviews nine members from the Stoneman Douglas community including students, teachers, police officers and parents reflect on this tragic event a year later. In each segment of the article there is a photo of the person interviewed and beneath is their story. 

I love the way Mazzei approaches this matter because instead of writing an article explaining all the horrible events that occurred that day again— she let the people who actually experienced it be able to shine and tell their story. Reading these stories are extremely impactful hearing all the different things these people had to go through. It is important to know these stories because after this school shooting occurred, many citizens wanted to see a change but shootings in America and around the world continue today. 

The photographs are mostly candid, showing the true emotions the person felt. This article felt very raw and that I could relate to these people interviewed on an emotional and personal level even though I haven’t been what they have been through. It shows again and again the courage people have when violence outbursts occur and how we all must come together in order to remain strong. I hope journalism continues to use this approach of photography and journalism merged together because it makes the article and the story itself more relatable and interesting. 

NBA reveals high-tech jerseys

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By LAUREN YELNER

The National Basketball Association announced its “jersey of the future” this morning to kick off All-Star Weekend 2019. The jersey is cutting edge, with the ability to alter both the number and the player name at any time. This is something people have never seen before, as they are used to having to buy many jerseys to support all of their favorite players.

Bleacher Report publicized this release with a video that featured NBA commissioned Adam Silver showing people the functionality of the jersey, and even making it go from a Stephen Curry No. 30 jersey, to the classic Michael Jordan No. 23.

It is not surprising that the NBA is testing out technology among its clothing, as it is always trying to stay one step ahead of the game. Sports are driven by consumers who love the game, and this jersey will enhance the fans’ ability to support their favorite players without having to break the bank on a multitude of jerseys.

This jersey will not be able to withstand changes in style or players being traded, however, die hard fans of one team will be able to represent many players on a single jersey.

Sports illustrated also commented on the release of the new jerseys, adding that this was not the only technological advancement that was coming for the NBA. “Silver also announced plans for facial recognition ticketing, hologram mascots and virtual reality glasses to take fans from their couch into a virtual arena,” wrote Michael Shapiro of SI. NBA fans should be excited to see how the league keeps up with the ever-changing technology, especially in the near future.

U.S.-Huawei fight messing with 5G plans

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By OLIVER JIA

According to CNN, American’s fighting with Huawei is messing with the world’s 5G plans. 5G is a new technology that can bring high internet speed. Especially, it useful on self-driving cars and other high technology area. 

Huawei technology company has already built up such a strong lead in 5G technology. The United States is trying to persuade other countries do not let Huawei equipment and base stations into their countries, because the gear could be used by the Chinese government for spying. Huawei strongly denies the accusations. 

Some top international mobile operator stated that shutting Huawei out of 5G networks countries could have a risk on the undermining their own tech capabilities. Comparing the 4G network, 5G network was faster than 4G as much as 100 times. 

Australia’s government has decided to ban Huawei from providing 5G technology for network. The Vodafone’s (VOD) CEO Nick Read stated that complete ban on all Huawei gear would delay the variability of 5G.The United States and China are all big country in the world. They all have advanced technology, good economy in the world. So, the competition is always existed. If they cooperate each other. The 5G internet will be stronger. 

Grammys criticized for Motown tribute

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By LESLIE ANNE DOMINIQUE

Uh Oh! Did the Grammys really just do that? On Sunday’s biggest night in music, Jennifer Lopez graced the stage to perform a tribute in honor of Motown Records at the 61st annual Grammy Awards, and fans were not impressed.

Lopez took the stage took the stage to perform hits such as “Dancing in the Street,” “The Best Things in Life Are Free,” “Please Mr. Postman” and “Do You Love Me?” She also joined Smokey Robinson in a performance of “My Girl.” While, the performance was entertaining, her style of dress and salsa dancing had no relation to the Motown label.

For those who have been missing for the past century, Motown Records is a legendary Detroit record label known for popularizing Black music. Motown is responsible for the success of legends such as Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and, you guessed it, Michael Jackson. So maybe it can be understood why Motown fans were surprised to see Lopez parading the Staples Center stage in full leotard, to honor the label.

Fans took to Twitter to complain about the disaster. Many questioned why in Black History Month, on the eve of Motown’s 60th anniversary, would the Grammy’s choose Lopez, instead of a successful African American artist, to perform. Motown is a staple in the Black community and generated the first genuine respect for Black artists, thus the decision to choose Lopez was not fully thought through.

In response to all the controversy, Lopez spoke to “Entertainment Tonight” saying, “The thing about music is that it inspires all. Any type of music can inspire any type of artist. You can’t tell people what to love.” She went on to say, “It was for my mom. I could cry. It’s such a good moment. It’s just a dream come true.” Many find J-Lo’s defense to be sub- par.

Talented she may be, the Lopez Motown medley simply missed the mark and overshadowed the success and legacy of Motown Records.

This story has been widespread throughout the news media, being reported by various outlets. Some sources, such as The Grape Vine, reported rather harsh on Lopez and claimed that her performance gentrified the Motown genre. Whereas, “Entertainment Tonight” and many others defended J-Lo’s performance, not understanding the significance of the performance. Many commended her performance, missing the point of the entire backlash.

Crisis in Venezuela deepens

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By SHANIKA ISAACS

As Venezuelans struggled to meet their daily needs, President Nicolas Maduro continued to block passage for humanitarian efforts of supplying food to the public. For the government not to take the responsibility of assisting his suffering people, this in-turn spoke depth into the type of president he represented.

With the country facing the backlash of a heavily depreciated dollar, the cost for basic living skyrocketed, making it very hard for people to get find or get food. Jobs in the country depreciated to the point of no existence which made it very hard for anyone to make a living.

Thus, the crime rate was recorded as the highest in the Western Hemisphere, as new born babies faced a higher chance in being malnourished. Health care and medicine became scares as elders suffer the most. Imagine living in a country that did not provide the necessity of filling a prescription, while in America pharmacists cater to their patients as a norm.

The UN estimated that there will be more than 5.3 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants by the end of 2019. Around three million people were said to be displaced and found in nearby countries like Colombia and some as far as Spain.

Why would President Maduro allow the country to get to such a state? As a result, why does he not allow Juan Guaido to take over? Is this a matter of power or humility?

Butterfly group fights border wall

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By LAUREN MAINGOT

The North American Butterfly Association is seeking to block the Trump administration from constructing its border wall through the National Butterfly Center in Southern Texas, pleading to a federal judge that the project interferes with its property rights.

The 100-acre wildlife facility is set the be cut in half by one of the first new wall projects being constructed under President Donald Trump, according to NPR. The project and its related construction, already approved and funded as part of last fiscal year’s budget, would cause “irreparable harm” to the sanctuary, said Marianna Trevino Wright, director of the facility.

“The issue is not whether butterflies can fly over a wall, but whether private property should be seized and destroyed for a project that does not serve the greater good or enhance national security,” the National Butterfly Center posted in a GoFundMe in December.

The case takes place in the midst of a looming national emergency Trump is expected to declare in an effort to finance for his proposed wall. He has met strong opposition to his border security plans in congress, resulting in the longest government shutdown in history last month.

Heavy coverage of both the Congressional standoff and public debate over the U.S.-Mexico border wall has proliferated in the news media as Trump continues to push for its construction. This story is yet another in the line of related stories that shows the intense polarity regarding his plans, now from the perspective of conservationists and private property owners. The Hill calls it “the ugly political reality of the wall: Even if Trump wins wall money in Washington, the administration will still face an array of challenges to getting anything built.”

One year later: Parkland shooting

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By GIANNA SANCHEZ

One year after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting and people everywhere are still grieving. While Feb. 14 used to be the day of love, people are now mourning and changing their outlook on the day. This day will be remembered by many forever and has made a huge impact on the lives of many.

This was not the first time there had been a school shooting. In fact, there were approximately 11 before Parkland happened. However, shootings in the past did not get covered like this one. This shooting in particular seemed to affect everyone all over the country and even in different parts of the world. One of the biggest reasons this become such a prominent movement was because of the people leading this movement and the news coverage it was given.

Shootings happen every day. There have been an estimated 38 killings that have already occurred in 2019 alone. I have heard about maybe three of these shootings, but nothing close received the coverage that Stoneman Douglas did.

The news media played a huge role in the start of this movement. Often times when there is a mass shooting, the news media move on to something else after a day or two of coverage. With this particular shooting, people discussed it for weeks. And even one year later, the coverage continues on what the people affected by this shooting are still doing today.

Why did the news media care so much about this and not about others? Was it the number of people affected and the area of the school? Was it because of the effect it had on the community? While the coverage for this instance may have been exactly what people needed to hear, the same attention has still not been brought to anything since then.

News outlets need to give equal coverage to events that may have links to them like this. The news media oftentimes takes out details and downplays events as to not insight fear in society. However, information like this should be of public concern. People should know the details about everything that happens, not just when it happens one time.

Anti-Semitism? Who cares?

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By LIAM FABRE

Ilhan Omar posted an openly anti-Semitic comment and basically, no one cares.Earlier this week Congresswoman Ilhan Omar re-tweeted a statement posted by Glenn Greenwald in which he expressed his discontent over continued U.S. support for Israel. Along with her re-tweet she added the statement, “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” implying that U.S. support for Israel was entirely bought and paid for by the Jews.

This statement upholds the long-time anti-Semitic view that Jews in America simply buy out politicians and worse, that no one in American politics supports Israel simply from a moral basis. Her comments are disgusting and she should resign from the House Foreign Affairs Committee immediately.

What was the response from the news media? The short answer, not much. Instead of focusing on the statement itself, stories focused on the fact that Omar is a “fresh face” in Congress and thus, still finding her way. Stories also covered the fact that Republicans “pounced” on her statement and overreacted.

Omar later apologized, but I would hardly call her statement an apology. She said, in another tweet, that she apologized unequivocally for any pain she may have caused, but that she stood by her statement. In my book, that is not an apology. It seems that for the left anti-Semitism is not a problem.

Omar will stay a Congresswoman and she will keep her position on the Foreign Affairs Committee. If we are to become a society without hate and one of equality, we must denounce all offensive statements. Not only the ones that further our political goals.

Measles problem needs news coverage

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By RYAN GRILLE

A measles outbreak is occurring in Washington state, resulting in Gov. Jay Inslee declaring a state of emergency. The outbreak has occurred largely due to the recent anti-vaccination movement that has been growing in the United States. The outbreak has also spread to Oregon. The news media are covering this outbreak through several lenses, each of which is important to focus on.

First, the news media are covering the anti-vaccine movement and how it has become a modern health crisis. News organizations are issuing reports about the safety of vaccines and why it is important for parents to vaccinate their children. This is an excellent example of what reporters should do. They should keep the public informed with proper factual information in order to keep their community safe. A misinformed public can, and has proven to be, extremely dangerous.

Another element that the news media are focusing on is the political side to the issue. Lawmakers in Washington state are looking to pass a bill making it illegal to refuse to vaccinate a child for personal reasons. The news media are covering the topic while examining the public reaction to these proposals. Reporters should keep the public informed about the politics of their local government.

Unfortunately, not all reporters are handling this situation properly. Less credible news outlets are publishing misinformation both about vaccines and the lawmakers involved. In today’s social media climate, it is not only important for reporters to check their facts and maintain a high standard of ethics, but news media consumers should also be alert about the news they receive. The handling of this measles outbreak could potentially save, or endanger, the lives of many, and it is important to cover the issue thoroughly.

Couple jailed after mistreating children

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By: KARLI FEINSTEIN

On Tuesday morning in Wise County, Texas, a mother and her boyfriend were arrested after police received a domestic disturbance call regarding four malnourished children stuck inside a home.

According to authorities, the children were found under clutter and grime. The children’s age ranged from 1-5, there were three boys and one girl. 

Two of the four children were placed in a barn crate that was converted into a sleeping space.

According to CNN affiliate, KTVT, the two oldest children ages 4 and 5 were the ones stuck in the crates.

Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin said when he found the children, they were hungry and thirsty, and covered in feces. Akin also stated that the children didn’t talk much when the police arrived at the home. 

“Our deputies and our lieutenant fed and gave water to those children. And due to the malnourishment and other concerns, EMS was called; emergency medical was called,” Akin said.

The biological mother to four of the children was identified as Paige Harkins. Her boyfriend, Andrew Fabila, is the biological father to one of the kids. 

The domestic disturbance call was made in the first place due to an altercation the couple was having. When the authorities showed up, Fabila had multiple cuts on his face.

Harkins and Fabila were both arrested on four counts of endangering a child. Harkins was also charged on one count for aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, Akins said. The couple is currently being held at Wise County jail. 

The children were taken to a hospital in Fort Worth for further assessment. They are now in custody of Child Protective Services. 

I believe this horrific situation is something that should never occur. The fact that there are still people out there who treat their children like this is just disgusting and morally wrong. If you’re going to have a child, you better understand the responsibility it entails. You can’t treat children like animals and leave them in crates to die. I don’t think stories like this ever get enough coverage from the news media. I concur that if we were to focus more on issues like this, people would know how wrong it is to mistreat children.

How much should we cover the shooter?

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By NAOMI FEINSTEIN

It has been one year since the worst mass shooting in United States history. On Valentine’s Day 2018, tragedy disrupted the happiness and love at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

According to authorities, a former MSD student brought his semi-automatic rifle into a freshman building where he shot and killed 17 students and faculty in less than 10 minutes.

During the immediate aftermath of the shooting, survivors, which included students David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez, Cameron Kasky and Jaclyn Corin, launched a campaign called the “March For Our Lives” to end gun violence around America. Additionally, they vowed to never forget the lives lost by making sure their names are always brought up in commemoration.

After the shooting, the news media goes through the usual script of covering a mass shooting: explaining what happened, the lives lost and background of the shooter. However, many of these young activists are calling for the media to stop glorifying mass shooters.

Most recently, USA Today published a story in honor of the one-year anniversary of the shooting. In doing so, the reporter, John Bacon, highlighted all the key figures at the center of the shooting to discuss where they are today, which included discussing the young student activists and the shooter along with an image of him in court.

In response to the article, David Hogg appeared on MSNBC where he said, “They’re [USA Today] one of the best news organizations at making shooters famous in the first place. They always plaster the shooter’s face everywhere. They always give them several hundred pages of coverage.”

Hogg advocating for news media outlets to change how they cover mass shootings is part of the broader campaign called “No Notoriety” that began as a result of the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting. There have been studies done to show that many mass shootings are repetitions of each other as perpetrators see the news coverage of the shooting and want the notoriety of being a school shooter. These aspiring shooters who hope to achieve fame see that is a real possibility through the news media. Thus, this campaign is calling for the news media to stop naming and showing pictures of the shooter.

News media outlets face difficult decisions in covering mass shootings. Now, many, such as Anderson Cooper, are pledging not to name the shooter during coverage or release any images. However, the American news media have the responsibility to keep the public well informed about what is happening around the globe and nationally. Yet, they need to be responsible in reporting. Instead of focusing on who it was, the news media must focus on why or how it happened.

We should use the news media coverage surrounding mass shootings to better understand why this keeps on happening and find the solutions to prevent them from happening in the future rather than as a means to talk about the shooter. When the media glorifies and identifies mass shooters, the victims are hurt twice: once by the perpetrator and the media. Since it seems as though mass shootings are going to be a constant in the U.S. for years to come, news outlets need to do their jobs but must be mindful of the victims and their families because their wounds are consistently reopened due to reappearing images and identification of the shooter in the news.

How to get away with murder

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By LIAM FABRE

The Democratic Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, openly embraced infanticide and dressed in blackface thirty five years ago. Which story did the media jump on? Surprisingly, the latter.

Northam is working on legislation with delegate Kathy Tran, that would remove all time restrictions on abortion. Women would have legal access to abortion up until the point of birth. This raised many questions among pro-life advocates and, reasonably so, as abortion gets more and more complicated as birth approaches.

Northam was asked what he would do in the event that the baby would be accidentally delivered during an abortion. Northam responded,

“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired. And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”

Though Northam was not fully clear, it is safe to say this so called “discussion” that would ensue would revolve around whether the baby would be kept alive or murdered. The idea that a beautiful, healthy, breathing child would be murdered outside the womb is abhorrent.

One would think such a story would draw a great deal of news media attention, however, the day after he made this statement, a photo of the governor in blackface surfaced. All media attention turned to this issue and his other comments were pushed to the back burner.

The American people need to comprehend the severity of Gov. Northam’s comments. Yes, the photo is disgusting and he must face consequences for his actions. Both issues are inexcusable, this is not an either or scenario. A representative of our government is calling for newborn babies to be murdered. Wake up America.

‘Modern Family’ comes to close

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By LAUREN YELNER

CNN and ABC have both recently announced the renewal of the 11th and final season of the hit show “Modern Family.” The show, which has been running for 10 years, is a favorite of many people. Each character depicts a family member that we all know and love, making it easy to relate to the show.

CNN announced the end of the show in a news story that did not come as a surprise to many. Fans understand that the writers can only come up with a few more topics before the show is exhausted. CNN included a tweet from one of the main actors of the show where he expressed that it will be very hard to leave something that meant so much to him.

The announcement also featured a quotation from the co-creator and highlighted the 21 Emmy awards, multiple Screen Actors Guild awards and the Peabody that the show received in its time on air. While many are sad to see the lovable show come to an end, many are excited to see where the characters lives will end up.

Global warming crisis continues

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By SHANIKA ISAACS

According to NASA, global climate change is increasing rapidly as its impact continues to affect the environment around us. As time progresses, we continue to see ice glaciers melting, the rise of sea levels, more frequent and severe forest fires, increase ocean acidity, extreme winters, heat waves and the list goes on. However, with new information surfacing and the fate of the United States changing, President Donald Trump seems less concerned about this evolving world crisis.

“WHAT THE hell is going on with Global Warming. Please come back fast we need you,” said President Trump.

As the play on words pertaining to a serious issue, nature will continue to take its course. Likewise, the unattended struggles of Puerto Rico since the hit of Hurricane Maria in 2017, will continue to cripple the country up to this date.

Collin Powell once said, “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”

The president’s administration still intends on removing the United States from the Paris climate agreement which will have severe impact on the world. The Washington Post states that while the Trump administration ripped up clean-air rules, U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions shot up 3.4 percent last year, putting the lie that market forces alone will adequately drive down the country’s carbon footprint.

President Donald Trump instead continues to focus on the opposing party funding his $5.7 billion border wall and threatens another partial shut-down for Feb.15 if it is not funded. Why are we so heavily invested in the smaller problems and not more focused on the bigger ones? Where are our priorities as a nation moving forward?

Grande drops album ‘thank u, next’

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By CAMILA MUNERA

If you know anything about the singer Ariana Grande, you know that she has been through an ordeal the past few months. From her ex-boyfriend dying from an overdose to a failed engagement, Grande has been through quite a lot. 

Although, Grande’s music career one can say has never looked better. After recently releasing her album “Sweetener” on Aug. 17, 2018, Grande has decided to drop yet another album. 

The new album entitled “thank u, next” after one of her top singles just dropped last night on all streaming devices including Spotify and Apple Music. Grande also decided to drop a new music video as well. 

With the Grammys coming up, many thought Grande would be performing as she is nominated for two Grammys this year. 

“Good Morning America” published an article written by Michael Rothman explaining the controversy behind her reason for not performing. 

Apparently Grande had a falling out with Grammys executive producer, Ken Enrlich. Enrlich quoted in an Associated Press report that he had discussed with Grande about the possibility of performing at the Grammys, but the singer felt it “was too late for her to pull something together.” 

Grande had a lot to say about Enrlich’s comment on Twitter by mentioning that what Enrlich was saying was nothing but a lie. 

The singer expressed herself by saying that she is deciding not to perform when she felt that her creativity and self expression was being stifled by Enrlich. 

It truly is a shame that probably the most successful singer of the year won’t be attending the most important music award of the year. 

This type of publicity will not look good on Enrlich as he is the reason behind why the popular singer will no longer be presenting herself at the Grammys. 

Don’t miss out on music’s biggest night to see if Grande takes home any Grammys at 8 p.m. on Feb. 10 on CBS. 

Florida city commissioner resigns

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By PAIGE FLANNERY

The city commissioner of Madeira Beach, Fla., resigned this week after receiving criticism from complaints that she had allegedly groped her male co-workers and licked their faces during work events and meetings. Nancy Oakley had been the city commissioner of Madeira Beach from 2007 to 2013 and also from 2017 to 2019.

Oakley submitted her resignation letter on Tuesday, in which she denied the claims. She wrote that she was resigning to “still the controversy” and also wrote: “I maintain my innocence and am pursuing the paths of appeals available.”The complaint was filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics in February 2017 by former Madeira Beach City manager Shane Crawford. He said that Oakley had made “unwanted sexual advances” toward him and director of the city’s public works department and the city marina, Dave Marsicano, at a fishing tournament in 2012.

According to the report by the ethics commission in response to the complaint, Crawford said that Oakley had “grabbed his crotch, and slowly licked him from his Adam’s apple all the way up his face.”

The report also include details of an incident between Oakley and Dave Marsicano. Marsicano said that during a meeting in 2012, Oakley “hung on his neck, grabbed his crotch, and licked his face.” He also said that Oakley had hugged him and tried to kiss him on numerous other occasions.

According to a press release, the Florida Commission on Ethics found at a meeting on Jan. 25 that Oakley violated the state’s ethics code by “misusing her position by exhibiting inappropriate behavior toward city staff.” The press release also states that it was recommended that Oakley be fined $5,000 and publicly censured by the governor. A Madeira Beach spokesperson confirmed that Oakley’s resignation was accepted on Wednesday night.