Vaping Regulations Effects on Businesses

Ian Mendola

Staff Writer 

Over the course of the past few years vaping has become a major industry, boosting  America’s economy. The article, Trump's vaping crackdown could help Juul by ending the decade's biggest small-business success story, written by Andrew Van Dam, talks about how the government's crackdown on vaping is hurting small businesses and allowing Big Tobacco companies to monopolize the market. The article begins by explaining that the vaping industry is primarily dominated by small independent vape shops. Dam explains that these shops are valuable for local economies and beneficial to the communities they reside in through the taxes they generate.

Nonetheless, the Federal Government continues to move ahead on putting a ban, or significantly increasing regulations, on vape products. Dam goes on to explain that “a government ban on flavored vapes and increased regulation could wipe them (small, independent vape shops) out and leave an opening for Big Tobacco and big tech to dominate the fast-growing industry” (Dam 1). Essentially what Dam is saying is that these government regulations will extremely diminish the amount of businesses, especially small ones, in the vaping industry because government prices could make it infeasible for these small businesses to continue production. It will be too expensive for everyone aside from the major players like Juul, which will eventually allow them to form a monopoly as the smaller players in the industry will be gone. After Dam makes this point he compares vaping to the alcohol industry. 

After prohibition ended and the 21st Amendment was passed, expensive regulations killed many small brewers in America and allowed for a few larger brewing companies to monopolize the market. Dam explains that “A few enormous corporations still sell six out of every seven U.S. beers, leaving about 7,447 craft brewers to split the remaining 14 percent of the market.” (Dam 2). Looking at history, it is too easy to envision a future in which the vaping industry, like the alcohol industry, will be a monopoly. A monopoly, in part, established by the government.

Trump has Repealed the Flavor Proposal

Ian Mendola
Staff Writer

 It was a wowing reaction to an eye opening health crisis very deeply affecting today’s teenagers. In the Oval Office in September, President Trump said he was moving to ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes as vaping among young people continued to rise.

  “We can’t have our kids be so affected,” Trump said. He continued to speak on how “Many people think vaping is a wonderful thing, when it’s really not wonderful commissioner”.   When Trump placed the ban back in September, All flavors of Juul, except Mint, Menthol, and Tobacco were pushed to be banned from in store resale. The flavors include: Mango, Fruit Medley, and Creme Brulee. Juul has been under fire from the FDA for a very long time due to the teenage epidemic that has been spreading globally for the past few months.

  The vaping industry has taken some turns after the bans and regulations on the products, but their advertised mission is to help people with a safer alternative to smoking as of 2018 there are approximately 43 million users worldwide. 

   On Nov. 11, Mr. Trump tweeted that he would be “meeting with representatives of the vaping industry, together with medical professionals and individual state representatives, to come up with an acceptable solution to the vaping and E-cigarette dilemma.” These meetings will set the precedent for future laws and legislations on the vaping industry.

President Trump has had many of his advisors and White House Staff members, alert him of the danger that this potential ban could put him in during the 2020 election. Data taken by the New York Times suggests that many of his voters are smokers or e-cigarette smokers. By enacting this ban on vaping products, big companies will not make money, as well as Trump will lose support in the long run.

Personally I would agree with many of Trump's advisors and campaign managers on this issue. Taking away someone's right to smoke and vape, is similar to taking away freedom from an American. When I read reports based off of the presidents ideas about the policy he would’ve like to move forward with and enact, I asked many students around New Hope-Solebury High School their thoughts on the issue at hand. The following are their responses:

Lila Datz, A junior “I think that stopping certain flavors of vape from being on the market, isn’t going to kill the craving for the buzz”. I agree with Lila’s statement because people that truly are addicted such as teenagers will use anything to satisfy their cravings. 

Eric Locke A Junior “I do not believe that vape products are the sole issue here because the deaths that have occured have been from teenagers using illegal and fake THC cartridges, not the actual nicotine product.” 

Will Kelley, “I don't think that he should do anything about his it because it is their choice if they want to put that stuff in their body.”

PISA Test Scores Demonstrate Large Gaps in Education in High-Schoolers

Laney Heffelfinger

Staff Writer

It’s certainly a little bit of an eye-opener when millions of dollars are put into an education system, only for the students in that system to regress or remain stagnant in their education. Recently, an exam was administered to 15-year-olds all over the world demonstrates that this specific demographic of American teenagers have remained stagnant in their education in both reading and math since 2000. For many years, a test referred to as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) has been administered to adolescents all over the world, and for those of us in the United States, the results were not what we were expecting.

  This ultimately means that despite the United States’ numerous attempts to improve the educational progress of  American youth, these efforts have only been effective for those who fall into certain demographics.

  It seems that the gap between the higher and lower scoring individuals has been growing larger and larger. The scores of those in the top 25 percent have been increasing since 2012, however, those who fall into the bottom 10 percent have been scoring lower and lower on these international exams as time has passed.

  The overall result from the PISA exams demonstrated that ⅔ of the children examined were shown as below proficient in reading.

  When you look deeper into these results, you are able to see that when comparing American children’s scores to other countries, on average, children from the US fall “below the middle of the pack in math” according to the New York Times.

  Those who fall lower in these statistics have been the primary targets of the billions of dollars spent by the nation, however, despite the production of numerous national educational programs, the resulting scores are always uneven, with the higher-ranking students improving their scores with those in the lower percentiles falling more and more behind.

  Different educational groups such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development are trying their hardest to evaluate what is leading to such an immense gap in scores between not only American children, but also between our youth and that of other countries.

Apple Bans Vaping Related Apps

Jackson Cane

Staff Writer

  As a result of recent crackdowns on e-cigarettes and vaping, Apple had no choice but to remove apps containing vaping needs or promoting it. Apple took down 181 “vaping” apps that helped consumers find vape stores or flavors, games or social networks promoting it, and allowing users to control their vape or pens. This ban was the second of its kind in relation to e-cigarettes and apps. In June, Apple updated its rules to ban new vaping apps from being accepted in the category with apps promoting excessive use of alcohol, use of tobacco, and illegal drugs. Yet now Apple banning all apps prior to the update in rules from June.

  Apple has also released a statement in agreement with health experts, stating their belief on this so-called epidemic. Health experts calling “the spread of these devices a public health crisis and a youth epidemic,” as Apple responded, “We agree.” With deaths and illnesses on the rise over the past year deemed vaping related, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges people to stay away from vaping anything since the side effects are unclear. 

  After making an astute and smart choice for the wellbeing of the company, Apple now faces controversy and criticism from opposers of this ban. The majority of apps were stores advertising products, although users couldn’t purchase vape products from them, along with apps connected to the devices to change temperature and custom settings of vapes. Owners of the apps are still able to use it as of now, but will eventually experience problems as Apple continues to upgrade software and hardware in the future. As this might strike as unfair to consumers of the legal age, Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, made a statement regarding the ban and the youth, saying, “By taking e-cigarette related apps off the App Store, Apple will help reduce youth exposure to e-cigarette marketing and discourage youth use of these products.” Since the dawn of their beginning, Apple controls their apps and what is put in or out of the App Store, not the users. For this ongoing vaping relating epidemic, there are many unknowns in which only time tells to discover them. 

A Significant Win for the United States of America

Connor Fitzgerald and Michael Borys

Staff Writers

On Oct. 26, 2019, the U.S. performed a raid on the leader of ISIS which resulted in his death. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was found in a compound, and after being confronted by U.S. troops, then ran to a tunnel which had no exit. This led to al-Baghdadi detonating a suicide vest which killed him and his two children. The blast also injured the heroic military dog that chased him down the tunnel. 

  The attack took place on Sat. around 5:00 p.m. Baghdadi’s death was announced by the special operations forces when they declared “jackpot” at 7:15 p.m. EST. Six enemies were killed in this raid, and 11 children were safely evacuated. Al-Baghdadi was the United States government’s most wanted terrorist. They offered a $25 million bounty for him.

  Conan, the heroic canine which chased and pinned al-Baghdadi in the tunnel, was named courageous by President Trump and will be visiting the White House once he is healed from his wounds. He is a four year member of special operations and has been involved in 50 combat missions with the troops. 

  Once all troops and citizens were removed from the compound located miles from the Turkish border, a precision airstrike was targeted on the compound which destroyed information, evidence, and reduced the building to rubble.Al-Baghdadi was buried at sea located at a classified located by U.S. special operations forces.

  By removing Baghdadi from the battlefield, the United States has neutralized the threat from a man who was both ruthless and experienced in running a terrorist organization. This was a huge accomplishment for our country and the United States will continue to track and eliminate any new ISIS leaders. ISIS announced Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi as their new leader.

Government's Big Tabacco Problem

Ethan Apparies

Staff Writer

Over the course of the past few years vaping has become a major industry, boosting  America’s economy. The article, Trump's vaping crackdown could help Juul by ending the decade's biggest small-business success story, written by Andrew Van Dam talks about how the government's crackdown on vaping is hurting small businesses and allowing Big Tobacco companies to monopolize the market. The article begins by explaining that the vaping industry today is primarily dominated by small independent vape shops. Dam explains these shops are good for local economy and beneficial to the communities they reside in through the taxes they generate.

  Nonetheless, the Federal Government continues to move ahead on putting a ban, or significantly increasing regulations, on vape products. Dam goes on to explain that “a government ban on flavored vapes and increased regulation could wipe them (small, independent vape shops) out and leave an opening for Big Tobacco and big tech to dominate the fast-growing industry.” Essentially what Dam is saying is that these government regulations will extremely diminish the amount of businesses, especially small ones, in the vaping industry because government prices could make it infeasible for these small businesses to continue production. It will be too expensive for everyone aside from the major players like Juul, which will eventually allow them to form a monopoly as the smaller players in the industry will be gone. After Dam makes this point he compares vaping to the alcohol industry. 

  After prohibition ended and the twenty first amendment was passed, expensive regulations killed many small brewers in America and allowed for a few larger brewing companies to monopolize the market. Dam explains that “A few enormous corporations still sell six out of every seven U.S. beers, leaving about 7,447 craft brewers to split the remaining 14 percent of the market.” (Dam 2). Looking at history, it is too easy to envision a future in which the vaping industry, like the alcohol industry, will be a monopoly. A monopoly, in part, established by the government.

Google Pixel 4’s New improvements

Jackson Cane

Staff Writer

In today's world of technology, consumers are witnessing first hand the evolution of one of the greatest inventions known to mankind, the smartphone. Google stands above its competition through creating the ultimate devices at the best of their ability.  Competitors of Google, such as Apple and Samsung, have been neck and neck on releases these past few years. From the upgrades of the original Pixel, releasing in 2016, to the recent 3 and 3a, introducing newer camera specs and screen upgrades, Google has done an incredible job at keeping up with others, even outdoing them in some categories. But does the Pixel 4 have what its competitors don't?

  Being released on the 24th of October, the 5.7 × 2.7 Pixel 4 is priced at $799 and $899 for the 6.3 × 2.9 Pixel 4 XL. These phones feature AMOLED screens with options for either 64 or 128 gigabyte storage. The camera features display the most substantial improvement from previous generations’ and competitors’ hardware The Pixel 4 features a dual 12-megapixel and 16-megapixel telephoto rear camera, and an 8-megapixel front, coming nothing near Apple’s iPhone 11 base and pro models. Both the rear and front cameras are 12-megapixel, featuring two lenses for the base model and three for the pro. Apple also out-performs Google with double the frames per second (60) in 4K video, a feature most consumers are demanding. User preference of operating systems also plays a role, and Pixel 4’s Android 10 provides the most capabilities coupled with a user-friendly interface.  It comes down to the price, operating system, and ability to take photos and videos for consumers. The Pixel 4 offers the most mediocre stage of what smartphones are at. Google in all could be leaving past consumers wanting more for their next phone, yet also meets standards to compete with others. 

Sean Kratz, Cosmo DiNardo’s cousin, takes the stand

Lucie MacGillvray

Editor

Sean Kratz, cousin of the infamous murderer Cosmo DiNardo, began his trial in a Doylestown courthouse on Nov. 6 on account of assisting DiNardo with three of the four gruesome killings from 2017. Kratz has been charged with conspiracy, abuse of a corpse, criminal homicide, first degree murder, and other charges relating to the murders of the four boys in 2017. If found guilty, Kratz may face the death penalty. 

  During the time of July 5 to July 7, 2017, four young Bucks County men had been reported missing. In a drug deal gone wrong, Dean A. Finocchiaro, Thomas C. Meo, Jimi T. Patrick, and Mark R. Sturgis were lured with the promise that DiNardo would sell them marijuana, but were killed by Cosmo DiNardo on a family-owned farm in Solebury. DiNardo had taken a plea deal and is set to serve a life sentence. Kratz is accused of contributing to the murders of Finocchiaro, Meo and Sturgis.

  Considering there is usually not much felonious news in Bucks County, residents of New Hope were understandably shocked at the horrendous homicides. Many students at New Hope-Solebury High School can easily recall the event. Tate Pronel, a high school student, said, “It feels like it was just yesterday when it happened. I can remember the sound of helicopters flying near my house. It was scary!” 

  On Nov. 8, a video of Kratz’s interrogation was shown to the jury in which Kratz denied any involvement in DiNardo’s brutal slaughter, and that he had failed to report the crime because he feared DiNardo. Kratz had also vocalized his disdain for DiNardo when he said “What an evil (expletive) kid. I hate you, you sick monster.” Alongside Sean was his mother, who begged that Sean tell the police exactly what had occurred on the day of the crime. Finally, Kratz admitted that DiNardo had kept two guns on his mother’s property. Both Kratz and DiNardo are set to testify.

Ms. Bennett honored as PSEA’s education support professional member of the year award

Colin Keyes and Cooper Hendricks

Staff Writers

New Hope-Solebury High School teacher aid Ms. Maria Bennett has been awarded the Dolores McCracken PSEA - Education Support Professional Member of the Year Award. The award is given to education support professionals (ESP) for various actions that stay true to the practice.

  Ms. Bennett is well known for assisting students in class and aiding teachers in several different ways. She is known for having a caring personality and dedication to help the students at New Hope Solebury High School.

  The education support professional  Member of the Year Award is only given to the very best of ESPs, and it’s obvious to see why Ms. Bennett has been chosen. 

She has been invited to a Pittsburgh convention to address the House of Delegates from the Pennsylvania State Education Association and represent the state of Pennsylvania.

The criteria for this award consists of five categories, professional practice, advocacy and association involvement, community engagement, personal achievement and enhancement of ESP image. All of these are fields and areas in which Ms. Bennett excels in, undoubtedly.

Solebury passes Open Space referendum

Ryan Viehweger

News Editor

Amidst heavy development of lands in neighboring townships, citizens of Solebury Township voted on whether Solebury should borrow money for the sake of land preservation on Nov. 5.  Neighboring townships have been subject of heavy development, losing most of their farmlands and historic areas.  Keeping woodlands and farmlands away from cookie-cutter home development has been a hallmark of Solebury Township citizens for generations, and the vote determined that Solebury citizens still prioritize land preservation.

  The “Open Space Referendum” vote passed overwhelmingly, with nearly 75% of voters in favor.  

  The vote passing marked at least “the fifth time voters approved the township to take on open space-related debt since 1996,” displaying the passion people have for preservation in this area.  With “approximately 38 percent of its acreage under some form of conservation” this referendum represents continued support from citizens to continue this effort.  Having six National Historic Districts, four National Historic Landmarks, and 38% of acreage under preservation, Solebury township contains the most unimpeded lands in the area, and voters displayed their continued willingness to allow borrowing for the sake of land preservation.

New Hope thanks veterans on 100th anniversary

Kaylee Lynch

Staff Writer

Before anything, I want to thank all of the Veterans who served our country. I had the incredible honor of joining some of the men from the American Legion on Veteran’s Day for an appreciation ceremony at our school.The choir performed the National Anthem which was beautiful and the Girl Scouts sung “This Land is Your Land.” It was a celebration and a thank you for all they have done. The Veteran’s took the time to share memorable stories of their life and time in the service which was fascinating to listen to. They are our heroes and the very heart of America.

  What many people don’t realize is that Veteran’s Day dates back all the way to Nov. 11, 1919. Therefore it is now 100 years old! All around the United States people have come to visit memorials in New York City and Washington D.C. to pay their respects to all of those who have passed on fighting for our nation. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. stands as a symbol of bravery and recognition for the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. To pay tribute, there is a beautiful black granite wall that holds 58,000 names for those who gave their lives or still remain missing. The wall reflects the sky and the sunshine where many of the soldiers are looking down at us, smiling at our country.

  The New York Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated on June 25, 1991. The different statues represent the branches of the military: the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines. In the center there is an incredible 15-foot statue that represents the “Universal Soldier.” This statue is a symbol for those who have served and sacrificed their lives and time in the Korean War. Visitors can look through the cutout and see the Statue of Liberty standing in the distance. Many of the men who came to visit our school, have gone to see these memorials many times.

  Tom Spalter is a Veteran who I got ` the chance to meet last year. He was very happy to share more stories with me this time around. Right after high school, Tom went into the Army. He fought in the Vietnam War and and claims “I’m extremely lucky to be here, and to have my grandkids.” He told me about his time in the service and how one of the best things in his life are his grandchildren. One incredible thing about him is that he continues to ride his Harley Davidson motorcycle and still flies airplanes. His dad is living in Beverly Hills, California, and he is 111 years old! One thing Tom said that really stuck with me was, “This is the best thing, mixing Veterans with young kids, it’s the best thing there is.” He and I agreed how young people have so much to learn from the elderly and their grandparents, and to have these brave men before me was just very special. Tom was happy to share his wisdom with me and all of the students he spoke to in the social studies classes.

  Another special person I got the chance to see with was my very own bus driver Mr. Bill. Mr. Bill proudly served in the Vietnam War. He was apart of the Navy and is a member of the American Legion. I also got the chance to talk with Mr. Demby and hear how the choices he made after high school affected him later in life. It was neat to hear all of the different choices the men made when they were our age, knowing that not everybody picks that path, but they did! Thank you to Bob, Tom Riley, and the many of you who came to celebrate this special day. It is not everyday you get to talk with true American heroes.

  I think it is important to remember that we should give thanks to the veterans not only on November 11th, but to celebrate them everyday. They are the reason we are free they are the ones filled with knowledge and great stories. I am extremely grateful I took the time to listen to their life stories and learn more about where they come from. Thank you to all of the Veterans and the men and women in the service today. Your courage is something people of all ages look up to and speaking on behalf of the entire country, Happy Veteran’s Day.

Brexit Timeline Coming To An End

Rex Fowler and Chance Trammell
Staff Writer

British citizens voted 52% in favor of the British exiting the European Union, also known as Brexit. Britain wanted Brexit because they were tired of following the European Union (EU) regulations with trade, immigration, and customs. There is no final plan, but British Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to leave the EU on Oct. 31. The European Commission said that there is progress but problems still remained. With only a few days left Johnson is scrambling to complete his plans.
  A big controversy is about what is going to happen with the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the UK and Ireland is not.
  As of now, there are no border posts, physical barriers or checks on people and goods crossing between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Boris Johnson is designing his plan to ensure that continues after the UK leaves the EU. The EU will only permit it if a “comprehensive free trade deal” is agreed on by the UK. Doing so “would keep the UK effectively inside the EU's customs union but with Northern Ireland also conforming to some rules of the [European] single market.”(BBC News) 
  The European Single Market is made up of the countries in the EU trading with each other without restrictions or tariffs. The UK wants to leave this, but they have to make Northern Ireland stay in order to keep the border as open as it is now. No one is certain the UK will be able to leave the EU by Oct. 31. Many skeptics say that the UK will not be able to finalize a plan and be able to strike a deal with the EU by the deadline. On the other hand, Boris Johnson is confident that they will leave at midnight on that day.
  There are mainly two different scenarios that can happen with Brexit. The first is if no agreement is concluded (‘no deal’ scenario). If Boris Johnson is unable to make a deal with the EU, then the UK will either not go through with Brexit or postpone the exit to a further date.
  The best-case scenario for Boris Johnson is a transition period once the agreement is approved. If a deal is struck, the UK will leave the EU no later than Nov. 1, 2019. Once the UK has left, there is a one-year transition period lasting until Dec. 31, 2020. During this time, all EU rules and regulations will apply to the UK. Almost nothing will change for businesses or for the public. The transition period could be extended once by two years if necessary. If everything in the transition goes to plan, then the UK will officially abandon the EU by January 1, 2021. Only after Brexit can the EU and the UK start discussing the details of their new relationship. There will be more clarity on the new relationship between the EU and the UK only once this phase of the negotiations has been completed.
  The Prime Minister is going to pull the Brexit bill if the timeline is not approved.



AS WE WENT TO PRINT THESE ARE THE LATEST CHANGES
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/world/europe/brexit-deal-boris-johnson-eu.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49909309
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-32810887
https://www.government.nl/topics/brexit/brexit-where-do-we-stand

New Hope Annual Arts And Crafts Festival celebrates its 26th year

Victoria Platonov and Atticus Harris
Staff Writers

The annual “New Hope Arts and Crafts Festival” held every September brought together over 160 selected fine artists and craftsmen, exhibiting many different forms of art, ranging from paintings, pastels, photography, sculptures, ceramics, clothing and jewelry. 
 The festival took place on the weekend of Sept. 28-29; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the New Hope Solebury High School parking lot with a $1 admission for ages 15 and over.
  In addition to the outstanding art, the festival included live music, food trucks, and children’s art activities that were fun for all ages.

Lisa Cutler, Two Son Jewelry (Felt with beads and glass)
www.twosonjewelry.com
Question: How can you best describe your art, what motivates it?
Answer: “My art is motivated by color. I like making things that make people happy.  I try to come up with unique designs and also most of my jewelry is really light weight so it’s comfortable to wear.”
Q: How did you get involved in making jewelry?
A: “I didn’t start out in life with the intention of being an artist. I started out as a nurse and then I started making wall hangings and people started taking them apart and would wear them. This is when I realized, “Oh, I could make jewelry; so this was a really happy accident.”
Q: How long have you been making jewelry?
A: “I’ve been doing it (making jewelry) for 20 years. This is my first time in New Hope. I live in New Hampshire and usually go to a local art fair in Maine.”

David Schumann (Water color, oil, acrylic)
Q: How would you describe your art and the meaning behind it?
A: “I love to paint and I’ve been painting since I was a child.  After I retired as a hairdresser of 40 years, I decided to go back to school.  I went to Lyme Academy, in Old Lyme Connecticut, and started painting.”
Q: How long have you been painting formally?
A: “I started painting formally in 2008, but I dabbled in it before that. This is my first art show here.”
Q: What is your method of painting? Certain colors, styles?
A: “Depends on what I’m doing. I work with all sorts of paint like oil, acrylic, watercolor and tempera. For example, if im working with watercolor, I tend to be more methodical and loose with it.  When I work with oil I tend to use acrylic first and then paint oil over it.”
  The event was sponsored by Penn Community Bank, which has been a supporter of the “New Hope Annual Arts and Craft Festival” for the past 26 years.

Is Teen vaping becoming a crisis?

Brendan O’BoyleStaff Writer






Electronic cigarettes have become a very popular product over the last decade. Recently, health officials have been investigating these products and finding that they may not be as safe as consumers may think. There have been over 500 cases of serious lung illness that have been recorded so far. There have also been eight recorded deaths related to vaping. Research also shows that vaping has become very popular among teens because of fruity flavors that companies offer. Some teens who attend New Hope Solebury High School have strong feelings about this controversy.
  “It's a travesty,” said Nate Donohoe. “These dirty old vapes are terrible for you and they are ruining kids lungs.” Another student, named Ian Mcdonald, said: “I think that something has to be done about this. The government should be cracking down on Juuls before more people die.”
   Many students in high school and even middle school have developed an addiction to nicotine. Because of this, the FDA is cracking down. In response to this controversy, there has been a proposed ban of flavored e-cigs to try to deter teens from vaping. Health officials also recommend that everyone who currently uses any kind of electronic cigarette stop. It has not been determined if a specific brand is more dangerous than others.
  However, some of the most popular brands that sell vaping products are being hit with lawsuits by people who are suffering from severe lung diseases after using their vapes. One of these companies is Juul. Juul is being hit with many lawsuits from past customers who claim they did not know or understood the risks of using the Juul. The company is under major scrutiny after not properly informing customers of the risks of their products. The company is also facing lawsuits after they claimed that their product was safer than cigarettes, when health officials are saying that this has never been proven.

Dangers of Dab Pens

Gretchen Newman and Delaney Cullura
Staff Writers

On June 20, 2019, a 17-year-old boy arrived at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. His entire jaw was cracked and a chunk of the bone had been completely shattered. Several of his teeth were missing along with a hole in his chin. Over the years, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) has become an addiction for teens. Dab pens are an electronic pen used to inhale marijuana in a convenient way. This has become a popular delivery system for cannabis users.
  A news reporter Amanda Chicago Lewis stated the majority of the vape pens on the market contained a type of concentrate known as butane hash oil. This was sold in stores around the United States. They all were made by stuffing the marijuana that was too moldy or weak to sell into steel tubes or Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe. A filter would be fastened to one end releasing cans of lighter fluid to flow through the pipe. This process had to be taken in order to squeeze out every last drop of THC. Individuals are making a lot of money off of these products; therefore, new and stronger methods of making pens are getting out of hand. Higher THC levels may explain the rise in emergency room visits involving marijuana use.
  These new methods could lead to effects such as altered senses, changes in mood, impaired body movement, difficulty with thinking or problem-solving, and impaired memory. The amount of THC in marijuana has been increasing steadily in recent decades. This creates more harmful effects in some people. This was all because he was using a dab pen that exploded in his mouth. If this keeps growing and younger kids keep becoming addiction, our future is not looking too healthy.

A Push to Help the Less Fortunate in New Mexico

Michael Borys and Connor Fitzgerald
Staff Writers

On Sept. 18 the governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, announced that New Mexico will provide tuition-free public, two- and four-year college minors and adults in New Mexico. This new program is named the opportunity scholarship. It would be available not just to graduating seniors, but also to adult students allowing them to return to get their college degree.
  Unlike other states, this opportunity gives free tuition to all students regardless of their family income. New Mexico has one of the boldest state-led efforts to increase the number of students getting the proper education. The opportunity scholarship applies to all state residents no matter their income status. This scholarship mainly came from the dilemma throughout America with many families not being able to afford the rising prices of Universities in America.
  Although some states like New York, Tennessee, and Oregon have offered scholarship programs in order to decrease this problem throughout the country, New Mexico's plan is different because you don't have to pay anything at all and your financial status is not important. This program will apply to the 29 institutions in New Mexico. The state plans to cover the cost of these scholarships  by using their surging oil production revenue.
  Some states are following in their path and debating to increase the amount of scholarships given to families in order to improve the local economy and improve educational achievement. Many believe that free college would be extremely beneficial towards the country, but others believe that the funding going towards free college would be more beneficially spent on special help programs for students that need extra help at universities.

Hurricane Dorian Destroys Homes across the Bahamas

Laney Heffelfinger
Staff Writer

While the East Coast may not have experienced it, Hurricane Dorian was a nightmare for people all across the Bahamas as well as its neighboring countries. Hurricane Dorian was a Category 5 hurricane over the islands of the Bahamas, the strongest hurricane on record to ever hit the island. As a Category 5 Hurricane, Dorian hit winds as high as 185 mph over Bahaman Islands Abaco and Grand Bahama for over 24 hours. Nearly all of the inhabitants of these islands have been relocated or displaced, as the vast majority of the buildings inhabiting these islands (between 76 and 100 percent of them) have been destroyed.
  Just to give you an idea of the strength of this hurricane, Dorian was two categories stronger than the infamous Hurricane Sandy, which devastated and flooded homes throughout the East Coast.
The government stated that at least 50 people died as a result of the hurricane, however, these numbers are expected to rise, as more people are being discovered within the wreckage of their homes. The Bahamian Government has reported as many as 2,500 people missing.
  All buildings touched by the hurricane have been deemed unlivable, with families losing not only their homes, but almost all of their personal belongings. This leaves families all across the Islands of the Bahamas struggling without a place to live, as well as all of their personal items getting lost or becoming unusable. This is a genuine tragedy that will plague the lives of Bahamians for many years to come.

Everything you need to know about E3

Cooper Hendricks
Staff Writers

The weekend of June 7, 2019, seems like a very promising showcase of Microsoft’s new games and work in progress builds of games soon to come.
     First, let’s start with Project Scarlett. Project Scarlett is Microsoft’s new and improved Xbox, which should have capabilities to reach 120 frames per second at 8k resolution along with raytracing. Which is just shocking, that is something that most people wouldn’t expect from a console designer, but it really means that the platform of console gaming is going to be drastically elevated.
     Then we have the new promises of several different games that are going to be released in the next year or so.
     First is the return of everyone’s two favorite sci-fi series, Halo and Gears of War. Halo Infinite is the first Halo game in 5 years if you exclude Halo Wars 2. It’s going to see the return of Master Chief and his struggles against a new enemy the like of which he’s never had to face. It will be released in the holiday season of 2020. Gears of War 5 will see the continued hardcore gore and violence that has become a staple of the series.
     Then we have the CD Projekt Red game CyberPunk 2077. The game will feature an expansive open world and interactions that will make each playthrough different. The choices you make and the actions you take will lead to various outcomes and possibilities. Everything in the game will be different and every choice you make only further draws you away from other peoples playthroughs of the game. It’s going to be released April 16, 2020. Also, Keanu Reeves is in it, so it makes it that much better.
     FromSoftware and George R.R. Martin are making a new fantasy game called Elden Ring. Which from the trailer looks like a blend of Lord of the Rings and the Dark Souls franchise. Which means that we’re going to get a gritty and difficult fantasy game. Other than that, not much is known about it.
     Minecraft makes an appearance again with a new dungeon crawler RPG. It is supposed to be an exploration of specific dungeons from the original game and you will fight your way through monsters and enemies. It’s guaranteed to do fairly well since the game was very popular and still is.
     Then there is the new sci-fi game by Obsidian called The Outer Worlds. Obsidian is known for there great storytelling and worldbuilding as seen with games like Fallout: New Vegas and South Park: The Stick of Truth. The Outer Worlds will take place on a planet in the far galaxy. Large Corporations are the reason for the expansion into the fringes of the galaxy and they have set up millions of points around the galaxy for travelers. You play as a custom made character who will either join the corporations or fight against their tyrannical rule over this world. The game looks to be like an amazing mix of Borderlands, Fallout, and Bioshock. It has the nineteen forties and fifties feel that is associated with Fallout, with the fun and chaotic side of Borderlands.
     Also, Battletoads got a revival? No one asked, no one cared. But it's happening. So, yeah.
Overall E3 looked very promising this year and I think that almost everyone is excited about the games that were announced.

Bringing it home: How the US-China trade war impacts you

Colin Keyes

Staff Writer

The President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump started a trade war with the People's Republic of China, currently ruled by Xi Jinping who has declared himself the leader of the Communist Party of China for life. The trade war between these two countries is getting more and more intense, each country is stepping up their tariffs on the other country last week the United States turned up the tariff up to a high 25% on the Chinese products which went into effect in mid-May when the most recent round of talks failed to garner a deal.

    On another note, the amount of worth the Chinese currency is down too 6.91 per 1 United States dollar. It was 1 Chinese yuan for 0.15 USD but not it has gone down to 1 Chinese yuan for 0.14 USD.    

    So what does this mean for you? This trade war will affect you in many different ways, but the most significant way is the increasing price of Chinese good that is in the U.S. Because of the tariff, the price of these products will rise immensely. Like if you own an iPhone, then the price of the product will rise because of tariffs that the U.S. put on China. New tariffs will affect all the products that are shipped from China and sold in the U.S.

    President Trump’s whole plan is to deal with China before they get too powerful. If they get too powerful, they will call the shots instead of the U.S. When the United States of American allowed China to join the World Trade Organization in 2001, this is when the Chinese economy started on its relatively short road to becoming a powerhouse. The question facing US officials now is whether or not China is already too powerful.

Tornadoes strike with increasing ferocity

Connor Fitzgerald

Staff Writer

Families are suffering throughout the United States as 500 tornadoes have been reported in 30-day period going into the month of June. A new record has been set of 12 consecutive days with at least eight tornado reports throughout the United States. These tornadoes are becoming such a normality because of the climate change problem that the U.S. faces. So many tornadoes are occurring because of the high pressured air over the mid-east of the United States which is pulling in warm air from the Gulf of Mexico.

    These powerful tornadoes are ripping apart houses and injuring loved ones from states like Texas to states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey on the east coast.

      Seven or more people have been killed in just a week span with many injuries. The major damage was in the middle region of the United States, strongly damaging Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. Northeastern states such as Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey experienced severe winds, rain, floods, thunder, and lightening for days on end.

    Scientists state that tornadoes are nearly impossible to track because of climate change. Although they are harder to track than they were in previous years, researchers have noticed a pattern with the occurrence of tornadoes in a certain period of time. They found that tornadoes are increasingly clustered in short periods of time.

    Around 40 deaths have been blamed so far throughout the year of 2019. This is the highest the death count has been from tornadoes since 2014.

Remembering the Day of Days

Cooper Hendricks
Staff Writer

Thursday, June 6, marks the 75th anniversary of the Operation Overlord or Normandy Landings during World War II.
    This operation was the largest amphibious landing in history. It saw the combined effort of U.S., English and Canadian Troops who would all rush the beaches of Normandy, which were named Utah, Omaha, Juno, Gold, and Sword. 4,000 Allied troops lost their lives during the landings and the 156,000 survivors would go on to retake France and push into the German heartland.
    The most well known of these beaches was Omaha. Many of the troops died before even touching French soil. When the doors dropped on their landing craft, many were killed instantly. Some jumped overboard and drowned because of the weight of their equipment. Soldiers would have to make it past 300 yards of beach, only to reach large cliffs where German pillboxes rained down a hail of bullets. Companies were completely separated during the chaos of the battle when many soldiers would stay near the tank traps and logs that were meant to be obstacles. Omaha was a grueling and hard-fought battle and was only won thanks to the bravery of each and every American soldier.
    The beach landings were not the only way troops made it to the shores of France. Hours beforehand under the cover of darkness, a large group of elite paratroopers were dropped behind Germany’s Atlantic Wall at Normandy Beach. The job of these brave men was to drop behind the shores into fields and such, to destroy anti-air guns and artillery pieces as well as slow down any possible German reinforcements that should arrive. Many of the soldiers would not reach the ground alive. Soldiers would have to roam around the countryside and hope that the figures they saw in the dark were Allies and not German. The night operation saw many casualties and would not have been completed if not for the intense and rigorous training of the paratroopers as well as the command of men like Dick Winters and the renowned Easy Company of the 101st Airborne.
    D-Day has been ingrained into American culture as a sign of the bravery and grit of the Greatest Generation. It’s seen as a symbol of freedom taking a foothold in order to destroy the evil empire that was Nazi Germany.

San Francisco bans facial recognition 8-1

Ian Mendola and Jake Menz

Staff Writers

San Francisco, long at the heart of the technology revolution, took a stand against potential abuse on Tuesday by banning the use of facial recognition software by the police and other agencies.

    The action, which came in an 8-to-1 vote by the Board of Supervisors, makes San Francisco the first major American city to block a tool that many police forces are turning to in the search for both small-time criminal suspects and perpetrators of mass carnage.

    The authorities used the technology to help identify the suspect in the mass shooting at an Annapolis, Md., newspaper last June. But civil liberty groups have expressed unease about the technology’s potential abuse by the government amid fears that it may shove the United States in the direction of an overly oppressive surveillance state.

    San Francisco’s new ban may inspire other cities to follow suit. Later this month, Oakland, California, will weigh whether to institute its own ban. Washington state and Massachusetts are considering similar measures.

The U.S.S. Wasp is found

Cooper Hendricks and Colin Keyes

Staff Writers

The USS Wasp, a ship that served in both the European and Pacific Theaters during the World War II, has been found nearly seven decades after it was sunk. This United States Navy carrier was found at the bottom of the Coral Sea off the coast of Australia. The carrier was sunk by a Japanese torpedo and saw the death of nearly all of her crew.

    Microsoft's co-founder Paul Allen had started this in-depth exploration and had done several similar expeditions previously. His organization had located the wrecks of the USS's, Helena, Lexington, Juneau, and Indianapolis.

    The Wasp was built in 1940 and would continue its service until it is sinking in 1942, during the Guadalcanal campaign. It was the eighth ship to be named the USS Wasp and held over 2,000 sailors during wartime. This ship was the only operational U.S. carrier in the Pacific until the USS Enterprise was repaired after the battle of Midway.

    Rear Admiral Samuel Cox said that "Wasp represented the U.S. Navy at the lowest point after the start of WWII. Her pilots and her aircrew, with their courage and sacrifice, were the ones that held the line against the Japanese when the Japanese had superior fighter aircraft, superior torpedo planes, and better torpedoes," The first year of the war saw some of the hardest loses for the United States in World War II. With the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Guam, and many other islands taken by the Japanese, which caught the U.S. off guard. Many lives were lost because America did not think Japan would attack.

Ransomware attacks become more prevalent as Baltimore gets hit

Juliana Covino

Editor-in-Chief

Ransomware attacks on companies and individuals has become more prevalent over the past few years. Just recently, an attack cost the city of Baltimore $18.2 million dollars in restoration.

     Ransomware is a type of malicious software that gains access to a company’s personal files or systems and blocks every user from accessing those files. Attackers then hold the files hostage using encryption until the victim pays a ransom that is usually requested in bitcoin in exchange for a decryption key. The key, in turn, allows the user to regain access to the files or systems that were held by the software.

    Even though ransomware has been around for decades, it has become more dangerous than ever due to the simple nature of systems easily being corrupted and thus ransomed. Vectors, messages that carriers of harmful ransomware, have become unrecognizable and masked as urgent emails, friendly texts, and pop-ups. Additionally, ransomware has continued to be one of the biggest threats since 2005 due to its attacks on hospitals, large corporations, and even cities.

    The city of Baltimore was recently hit on May 7 was demanded to pay a ransom in bitcoins worth about $76,000 on the day of the attack. Baltimore’s Mayor,  Bernard C. “Jack” Young, refused to pay the large sum even though the estimated cost of recovery is actually higher than the ransom. Government employees were unable to access their baltimorecity.gov emails for many days.

     In addition, multiple individuals attempted to create a new Gmail account as a workaround. However, Google’s security system flagged some of the accounts as suspicious and briefly suspended them as a result.

    The future of ransomware attacks is uncharted and unknown. It becomes increasingly clear that personal and private data is at risk in this technological climate. Teens and adults alike must become aware of the issue and privacy at stake.

     Even though companies only seem to be targeted, personal data can be seized along with a demand for payment. Furthermore, paying a ransom doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be granted access to your files. In conclusion, in order to be protected make sure to maintain in regular backups on external drives or with an external backup service and keep software updated with the latest security patches as well as staying informed.