Held at Grants Pass High School, Paws for a Cause is a student-led club focused on charity for the Humane Society. Club members volunteer at various community events, fundraising and spreading awareness of animals in need through community outreach and education. Events include the Grants Pass Growers Market, where, according to Max Charlton, the Pause For A Cause President, “A few of us also volunteer at their stand weekly!” Since our local Humane Society is a private organization and does not receive federal funding, students have come together and found ways to spread awareness on this issue. If anyone is interested in joining Paws For A Cause, the club is held every second and fourth Wed. of the month in room 137. 

Rumors around town have been circulating about a new Chipotle coming to town. Well, the rumors are true and the business will be located at the Grants Pass Shopping Center on NE E Street. Currently, Chipotle is in the process of being built and will replace an older Bank Of America. As stated by KOBI5 news, “The new restaurant… will include a drive-thru”. This exciting new expanse to the shopping center will add economic improvement, pose as a healthier alternative to fast food, and will come with new job opportunities. The restaurant is already a popular spot in the community of Medford, an effect which should hopefully reflect similarly in Grants Pass. Chipotle will encourage commuters to stop in Grant Pass and will not only boost the economic status of the city but will also provide a fan-favorite restaurant. The official opening date has not been released yet, but is prefaced to be in a couple of months.

Rio de Janeiro is categorized as a semi-periphery country.  What is not brought to light often enough is the two very different areas in Rio-- the hills and the developed adjacent city. The hills, known as The Favelas, are where people live when they cannot afford to live in the urban city. The hills were first built off of slavery, which led to a corrupt, lawless, impoverished area. There is no formal government, and there is neglect from public investment. The lack of authority has allowed the inhabitants to be creative with their homes. The people are constantly trying to find simple solutions to everyday problems. In Rio, summers are scorching for the people who live in the Favelas. Luis Cassiano Silva is a resident in the slums and works for a non-profit organization, which he described to NPR “teaches favela residents how to build their own green roofs as a way to beat the heat without overloading electrical grids or spending money on fans and air conditioners.” Instead of the cheap metal roofs that the residents use for their homes, green roofs made of plant gardens have been popping up all over rooftops, absorbing less heat than metal. People in the Favelas are finding their own ways to battle the misfortune and lack of support by bringing their creativity to life and wanting to make a difference in their homes.