Why should we recycle, and how does it help the planet? Better question: What is recycling? Recycling is when people take trash, break it down, and reuse it or turn it into something people can use. You can recycle many things, like plastic, metal, and glass. Recycling helps the environment by reducing the amount of trash in the world. For metal and plastic, it can take millennia for them to decompose. You don’t just have to recycle old bottles or cans. You can recycle large pieces at places like Recla Metals, Pacific Steel and Recycling, and Western Metals Recycling. Start recycling and help save the planet.

By Bella Hoisington, 8th-grade Reporter. 

Do you remember sitting down with your parents or a parental guardian to work on homework or any school project? Many people born in 2014 and later have not had this experience, growing up instead in a society where many rely heavily on AI. But it isn’t just kids—AI has become an integral part of many people’s daily routines. From morning alarms to bedtime routines, AI quietly shapes our daily lives. Virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant manage schedules, set reminders, and control smart home devices, making daily tasks more convenient. These tools have fundamentally changed how we interact with technology and organize our lives. However, AI also presents significant challenges, particularly in the job market. AI-driven automation is displacing workers across multiple industries. Among the most affected are interpreters and translators, whose roles are increasingly being taken over by machine translation services. Historians face competition from AI-powered research tools. Sales representatives of services, writers and authors, customer service representatives, and telephone operators are all seeing their positions threatened or eliminated as AI systems become more sophisticated.❤

By AJ Wade, 7th-grade editor.

 I’m sure you've all heard of braces; maybe you've had them or haven’t yet. This is why and how braces affect you.

 Braces are small metal rods connected to your teeth; they kind of look like a metal fence over your jaw. You may have heard stories of them. Most of us are probably getting braces around this time, I know I am soon. If you aren’t scheduled for braces, you probably will get some eventually. The average time you have to keep your braces in is 24 months, or 2 years. You’re technically considered “Lucky” If you score anything under 2 years. 

But just consider yourself lucky if you get normal braces, even if you have to have braces for over 2 years. Some braces don't even look like the ones you’ve seen. Some are these crazy metal contraptions. There is a type of brace called a “Retainer.” If you have had braces, or have them now, you might recognize the word “Retainer,” But these aren’t the retainers you think they are. These are metal braces that are placed in your gums. Ouch. Apparently, when you get braces, they hurt for a few days, and they are also sort of bad for 2 weeks when you first get them and when they get tightened.

 Braces aren’t as scary as they seem, though; they aren’t anything to be embarrassed about. At one point, almost everyone would have had them; it just depends on when they get them.

Talor Murphy, fake news reporter, 1/27/2026

You may not know them, you may think that they are dumb, or you may just think they are simply giant, fluffy rats. But if you love animals as I do, Chinchillas are a pretty great choice. 

Chinchillas are more than just giant rats. They are fluffy, cute, and obeying, GIANT FLUFFY BALL OF SUPER SOFT FUR. Did you know that if chinchillas didn’t exist, thousands of people would be dead? You probably don’t know why, but it's because chinchillas have ears very similar to humans', so they can use scientific data to develop ear medicine for humans. 

Also, chinchillas are a part of history. One time, the Queen of England said she loved chinchillas! If you're starting to like chinchillas, you will be sad after this. 200,000 chinchillas are being killed every year, just for sweaters. Imagine if you are just a chinchilla walking around but then brought to a weird-looking place to be killed! NEXT TO YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND TONS OF OTHER CHINCHILLAS! Maybe think about it. Overall, the Chinchilla is an amazing creature and adds so much to the animal kingdom.