Marysville Shooting is the latest in a series of school shootings

Chris Brady

Staff Writer

In the past few years there has been a rash of inexplicable school shootings resulting in the loss of numerous innocent lives. The most recent case of this took place in the Marysville-Pilchuck High School cafeteria, ending in the death of two friends, and wounding four others. The shooting took place last friday, when Jaylen Fryberg texted five of his friends to meet him for lunch. Once they were situated in the school cafeteria, Fryberg opened fire, eventually taking his own life. The weapon was illegally obtained and registered to a relative’s name. There are still many questions surrounding Fryberg’s motive or how he came to have the .40 caliber handgun.  

This most recent shooting raises questions about gun laws and if they are effective. The investigation is likely to take months, with no sign of a note or any clues as to what prompted the attack. Most of these school shootings seem to follow a pattern: Fryberg was considered a “golden child”, he was well liked by all and a member of the football team. A week before the incident, he was crowned freshman homecoming prince, and many believed he would become leader of the Tulalip Tribes. The school is small, and close-knit, all involved in the incident were such close friends they were almost family. Some speculate he was having trouble with a girl, but nobody knows for sure. 

A teacher in a nearby office heard the shots and came running immediately. She saw the kids on the ground and ran toward the shooter. At that point, Fryberg committed suicide. In the aftermath of the shooting, the Marysville School District provided meetings to inform parents of what happened, and provide support for families.      

Obama Speaks Out on Net Neutrality

Jake Smith

Staff Writer

President Obama released a statement on November 10 regarding net neutrality in which he urged the Federal Communications Commission to “implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality.”

  Net neutrality has been a hotly contested debate between the public and tech giants like Google, against internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon. If net neutrality is not upheld, Comcast and Verizon would be able to restrict the internet speeds on certain websites, forcing companies to pay money for faster speeds. A situation like this would favor larger companies able to pay the “bribe” and limit the growth of smaller companies residing on the internet.

 President Obama called for Title II of the Telecommunications Act to be applied to internet service providers. An application of Title II would regulate paid prioritization and prevent service providers from intentionally slowing internet speeds. Companies like Comcast, Verizon, and Time Warner Cable have spoken out on the issue. Comcast has publicly stated they support net neutrality but do not want Title II of the Telecommunications act to be applied. Comcast, and other service providers, would much rather have Section 706 of the act applied because the FCC would only be able to impose lighter regulations.

 In the past when the FCC imposed rules on net neutrality, federal courts determined they did not have the power to force I.S.P.s to treat all traffic equally. The courts ruled in favor of service providers because the are not classified as common carriers, who are required to pass information through their networks without preference.

 It will be difficult to predict how the FCC will choose to attack net neutrality this time around, but with the support of the president, the future of an open internet looks bright for users.  

NHS Students learn not to take chocolate chips for granted

Spencer Tinkel

Features Editor

In an unbelievable recurrence, the New Hope-Solebury cafeteria has once again taken away the original chocolate cookies and have replaced them with much smaller, less appetizing cookies.

 This is not the first time the chocolate chip cookies have been replaced, as last year, in a shocking discovery, the original cookies were taken off the market until they were brought back after students showed their anger towards the new, smaller cookies. In a classic “don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” event (shout to all the Cinderella fans out there), students at New Hope-Solebury did not know how much the “good” chocolate chip cookies meant to them.

 “I took them for granted. They were so good and I thought to myself, ‘There’s no way something so good would be taken away from the students.’ I was shocked last year when the cookies were taken away, and I’m even more shocked this time around considering how much anguish was created within the student body last year when the cookies were taken away,” stated a solemn, anonymous New Hope-Solebury High School student.

 However, there are other options at lunch when contemplating dessert such as: sugar cookies, ice cream frozen treats, a piece of cake, or a 100 calorie Keebler Elves cookie pack. Yet, to the students at New Hope-Solebury, no other dessert can compare to the original chocolate chip cookie.

 “If you like chocolate, the original chocolate chip cookies were the way to go. The ice cream options are just too expensive and the sugar cookies don’t have the chocolate we want. And let’s be honest, it would take like three 100 calorie Keebler Elves cookies packs to satisfy any sort of sweet tooth. For 80 cents, I was able to get one of the best cookies, and now it’s all gone,” a distraught Matt Steele had to say.

 Clearly, the original chocolate chip cookies were friendly to the stomach and the wallet. As the school moves closer to Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, it will be interesting to see whether or not the school and the cafeteria open up their hearts and bring back the “good” chocolate chip cookies.

 “It’s absurd to think that they took them away once. But a second time? That’s mayhem. Absolute mayhem. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to bring back the greatest cookies that have ever been made here at New Hope-Solebury High School,” Ken Fest had to add.

 New Hope students can only hope that the cookies will end up back on the shelves. For the Class of 2015, time is winding down, which means with each passing day, one more day goes by without the “good” chocolate chip cookies.

 Ken Fest also added, “Not only did they take away from our lunch, but now they're taking away from our tradition.”

New Hope-Solebury "Leis" Off Drugs

Hannah Mui

Staff Writer

  New Hope-Solebury joined thousands of other schools across the nation in celebrating Red Ribbon Week from October 23 through 31. Since the start of elementary school New Hope-Solebury students have been signing the pledge to be drug-free. Red Ribbon Week began in 1985 after the murder of Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique Camarena. Camarena was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by Mexican drug trafficker  After Camarena’s death, citizens from his hometown Calexico, California created red ribbons in honor of him. Eventually, the red ribbon became the symbol for the prevention of illegal drugs.

  Since, then the prevention of illegal drugs has grown larger each year. Now, schools all across America help to honor Agent Camarena and spread awareness of the dangers of illegal drug usage. New Hope-Solebury started off the week strong on Tuesday by wearing team sports gear in hopes to “team up against drugs.” On Wednesday, students and faculty came to school dressed in Hawaiian apparel to “lei off drugs.” Thursday was “staying drug-free is no sweat” day and almost all students wore sweatpants and sweatshirts to show their support to be drug-free. On Friday, Halloween, students “scared away drugs” by dressing in their Halloween costumes.

  Throughout the week two large posters stood in the main lobby. These posters informed students about the dangers of alcohol and marijuana. Also cards were passed out that showed students how to say “no” to underage drinking and the smoking of marijuana.

U.S. Army Personnel Quarantined in Italy

Hannah Loesch

Staff Writer

U.S. Army personnel are being quarantined in their home base in Vicenza, Italy, after returning from the Ebola hot zone of Liberia.

The American troops cannot have physical contact with their families and friends, and medical staff are being so cautious in an attempt to keep the virus contained that their plastic forks are being burned after each use.

According to Maj. Gen. Darryl Williams, none of his team in “controlled monitoring” have shown any symptoms so far. As of October 28, the troops are on day three of the 21-day quarantine period.

But armed forces quarantined in Italy have high spirits and are proud of their work to fight  the "silent enemy" of Ebola.

"The morale is high and very comfortable with the contribution we made," said Williams, commander of U.S. Army forces in Africa, who spoke to CNN via military video conference from within the isolation area.

Williams added that 75 more service members will return this week to quarantine on the base.

The military’s mobile Ebola-testing labs are top-priority in the Pentagon's effort to help the Ebola outbreak, according to Williams.

The decision to put the American soldiers returning from Liberia into quarantine in Italy rather than in the United States has been somewhat controversial in Italy.

According to Luca Zaia, the president of the region’s assembly, "They shouldn't have been sent here, they should do their quarantine for Ebola at home." He added that "it would have been more respectful [of the United States to have] thought about the risks posed to local citizens."

Currently, West Africa is the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak, which has killed nearly 5,000 people. The often lethal virus is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person displaying symptoms.

Hope and Sole Cafe Gets an Upgrade

Brooke Black & Taylor Selbst

Staff Writers

Hope and Sole was the newest addition to our school last year, but it  has just been renovated and improved. A lot of hard work and time was put into the cafe to make it more convenient for everyone  in the high school. Each morning students come to Hope and Sole before first period and treat themselves to a variety of hot or cold beverages and now a huge selection of breakfast foods.

The Hope and Sole Cafe is no longer just a place for breakfast bars. They have added bagel as well as breakfast sandwiches. Students should take advantage of the new products being sold. The more Hope and Sole sells, the bigger their opportunity for adding more tasty menu items down the road. Sophomore Danny Doherty says: “Everything sold at Hope and Sole is scrumdidlyumptious!”

Hope and Sole was a great success from the start and it is only expected to become a bigger success. Don’t miss the chance to go because everyone is talking about it. Many high school students don’t have the time in the morning to make breakfast at home so the Hope and Sole cafe is convenient to everybody.

Chipotle Rolls Into Doylestown

Danny Doherty & Tommy Lupo

Staff Writers

A little more than a year ago, the Borough Council of Doylestown voted unanimously to install a Chipotle restaurant on North Main Street. The addition to one of the most popular and growing fast-food chains in America will be a big boost of revenue for all shops in the area.

The company which was founded in 1993 has gained an extreme popularity in the last few years with the younger crowd, as well as anybody who wants some incredible mexican food. It is the second Chipotle in the area, the first one being in Warrington in the Valley Square Shopping Center. A hike for most New Hope students, the new location will provide a quicker way to snack on their favorite burrito, taco, or salad.

 Connor Smith said about the recent addition, “Chipotle is my favorite restaurant around. My last trip was by far my best yet. The burrito included white rice, black beans, chicken and steak (this is the key), corn, sour cream, and guac.”

 Junior Steve Ratigan noted another benefit of the new Chipotle: “This is going save a ton of gas!”

 Steve’s favorite Chipotle meal includes a steak burrito with white rice, mild salsa, guac, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sour cream. A side of chips and guacamole are the perfect accompaniment for this amazing dish.

 In the minds of students and teachers, this is the best addition to our area since the addition of Giuseppe’s.

 Without a doubt, the new Chipotle will create a stir in Doylestown, causing the economy in stores around it to blossom. Before it was Burger King’s chicken fries, or possibly McDonald’s snack wraps, but Chipotle now has a hold of the reins and it is in their power to deliver the food to our mouths that we rave about.

Parents of Shooting Victim Offer Son's Killer a Home and a Job

Cailin Loesch

Staff Writer

Christopher Bazar, who shot and killed his best friend, Donald St. Laurent II, 29, back in 2011, has been offered a home and a job by the parents of the victim.

Bazar, who confessed that he was drunk and high at the time of the shooting, has long been supported in court by the parents of St.Laurent II, who consider him to be ‘like a son’.

Just minutes after the shooting, Bazar “sobbed uncontrollably” while on the phone with a 911 operator, frantically recalling what happened. He later said he had been drinking and smoking marijuana that night.

Bazar, now 30, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was initially sentenced to four to 10 years in prison. His sentence was reduced, however, after the parents of the victim begged the judge to lessen his punishment.

With only a few weeks left until Bazar is released from prison, Deborah and Donald St. Laurent continue to speak in favor of the killer. 'My son loved him, and I know it was an accident,’ said Deborah.

Once he is released, Bazar will move in with Deborah St. Laurent, in her home in Nashua. Donald St. Laurent will give him a roofing job at his construction company.

'It's the end of a long road and the beginning of a new one,' Bazar said, according to WMUR. ‘It's a good day. It's a great day.'

'Prison saved my life,' Bazar added. 'I’m very lucky, in an unlucky way.'

When asked about her motive to bring Bazar into her care, Deborah St. Laurent was self-assured.

'I know that this is what my son would want me to do.”