Are Unauthorized Immigrants Really a Threat?

3/5/25

By: Mahiva Krishna Chaganti, 9

January 23rd, 2025 was when President Trump’s executive order of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in the United States had taken effect, with the intention of being the largest in U.S. history. As of February 3rd, out of 8768 total immigration violator arrests, 5693 people were deported and 461 have been released, due to insufficient capacity at ICE detention centers, although still being tracked with ankle monitors, wristbands or required check-ins with immigration officials. There is no clear record after February 3rd since ICE has not publicly shared recent numbers of immigration enforcement, the pace of arrests and the cost of the operations.

Despite the pending legal proceedings of millions and the recent firing of 20 immigration judges with no public justification, along with there currently only being around 100 ICE detention facilities nationwide, the President has expressed goals of arresting and deporting “millions and millions” by the end of his term. Aside from that, the Trump Administration has reversed the former Biden-era policy, now allowing the Department of Housing Security (DHS) to be able to search and arrest in religious places of worship, schools, and hospitals. There have also been plans to temporarily withhold funding for sanctuary cities, i.e., cities that limit information about immigrants to federal immigration law authorities.

The most popular argument for supporting mass deportations is that undocumented immigrants pose a threat to the American population. Unlike the assumption of there being 20 or 30 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S., most of whom are often considered “terrorists” or “invaders of the country,” most studies show the number ranges from 11 to 12 million and the crimes that are committed form a lesser threat than the rest of 300 million native-born Americans.

The official website of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows there were ~17,000 criminal convictions of undocumented and documented immigrants caught at U.S. borders in fiscal year 2024. However, almost 11,000 were solely for illegal entry/re-entry, meaning less than 7,000 are actual, serious crimes (committed by both, undocumented and documented people). According to ICE, the total number of illegal immigrant arrests in fiscal year 2024 is only 113,431, of which 57,688 make up criminal convictions, while 23,624 are pending criminal charges, referring to ones who have been accused but not found guilty yet. The remaining 32,119 are the number of arrests that were solely for violating U.S. immigration laws.

 Although there is a lack of precise statistics, with the information that is available, a 2018 FactCheck.org article, a 2024 MPI report, and many other sources online prove the relationship between illegal immigration and crime has no correlation or perhaps even results in lower crime rates. This is most likely due to already being aware of the constant threat of deportation.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) says most people who illegally cross the border only do so because they cannot get through the restrictive legal immigration processes and cannot get sponsorships that are only available to applicants with “exceptional, advanced” degrees. Many are foreign-born family members of lawful citizens, or even refugees fleeing from persecution on account of race, religion, political opinion, etc.

In addition, Trump’s mission to deport all undocumented immigrants so rapidly, spending at least $315 billion, will have a significant impact on the American economy. Since unauthorized immigrants make up a large percentage of entrepreneurs and the construction, hospitality, and agriculture industries, and contribute approximately $46.8 billion to federal taxes and $29.3 billion to state and local taxes, mass deportations would lead to a loss of 4.2% to 6.8% of the annual U.S. GDP. About 8.5 million U.S. citizens with undocumented family members would be affected, with 5.1 million being citizen children.

A Pew Research Center poll conducted in 2025 finds half of the surveyed Americans agree with these current actions, some of whom think too little is being done. Putting aside the role of a journalist, it is upsetting to see so many adults, belonging to one of the most progressive places in the world, prioritize this over countless other issues in the U.S. As an immigrant teenager, I believe actions based on empathy, humanity, and ethicality can be more powerful than following societal restrictions. 

Story linked here. 

California wildfire benefit concert Fireaid said to have already made over $50 million

By: Brenna Wyper, 9

2/3/25

       With the large number of homes being lost in the California wildfires, many music artists have joined together to raise money for surviving victims. These artists are scheduled to perform at 2 different LA concert venues on Thursday, January 30th to support the people going through tragedy.

       It has been reported that an estimated 12,000 homes have been lost in the deadly California wildfires. Because of this heavy impact, the team behind fire aid, being the Azoff family, decided to put together a benefit concert. This concert would get many of today's largest artists up on one stage performing to raise money for those in need of the support.

       48 hours after the initial fires began, Shelli Azoff reached out to some artists in her circle to see if they had any interest. They received so much positive feedback that they knew their idea would work. This is when they decided to reach out and ask to use the Inuit dome, but with all the people who had an interest, they had to secure a second place at Kia Forum.

       The fire aid benefit concert team started reaching out inquiring about corporate sponsorships, leading to imitated overwhelming support. The team made it a priority to book California talent initially, which was no problem, as the number of volunteers actually led to them turning people down due to high numbers. The whole 5-hour shows will be live-streamed for all to watch the incredible 28 performers.

       For those who are unable to attend or stream the shows, there has been a website put up for all to text and donate to the cause. The fire aid team reached out to many organizations to fully understand how to correctly go about things and have the people supporting a cause they are familiar with. They have also assembled a small committee of people to advise the contributions being distributed through the Annenberg Foundation.

       This event is sure to have a positive outcome based on its publicity and interest shown already.

Former President Carter Passes Away

1/9/25

By: Viviana Morales-Wakin, 10

Jimmy Carter, the 39th US President, sadly passed away in his home located in Plains, Georgia.

          The politician lived to be 100 years old; the oldest former President in US History. He reached this milestone in 2019, following President George H.W. Bush’s death.

          Carter became President in the midst of the Vietnam War and The Watergate Scandal. He only lasted one term, from 1977 to 1981. Although he was certainly not the longest running president, he is well known for his philanthropy and work. This includes forging peace between other nations, advancing natural rights and equality, and teaching Sunday School to young children.

          Jimmy Carter is one of 4 US Presidents to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his philanthropy. He wrote and published over 30 books following his presidency, with his publications widely ranging from children’s books to memoirs and poetry.

          President Joe Biden is devastated by the loss of his dear friend Carter. According to AP News, their friendship lasted over 50 years, and they bonded over leadership and humanitarianism. Carter’s state funeral is scheduled for January 9th, 2024 where Biden will deliver his eulogy. Former President Jimmy Carter created a legacy that will live on for ages.

Los Angeles Wildfire Destroys Homes

1/8/25

By: Ally Watson, 11

       In the west-coast state known for its famous landmarks, beautiful beaches, and famous residents, wildfires rip through towns in and around Los Angeles, leaving families and pets injured and homeless.

       Just a week into the new year, on the evening of January 7th, a wildfire broke out on the inland foothills of a nature preserve located north-east of LA. As the flames lit up the sky with a red hue and endless amounts of dark smoke, civilians were getting up from their dinner tables to pack their cars and race away from the danger. Two more fires were horrible in the cities Pacific Palisades and Sylmar, famous neighborhoods known for their famous residents. Helicopters circled the Palisades dropping water on the burning houses. Fires also spread into neighboring cities, like the known and loved Malibu. Photos from the scene show palm trees caught in flames.

       Fires lined the sides of streets, where many cars were left abandoned. People ran down the street clutching their pets and babies in hand. The empty cars caused traffic jams and blocked roads. Heroes in bulldozers came to push empty cars away, freeing up space for cars to pass. A resident of the Palisades stated, “the only road in and out of her neighborhood was blocked, leaving her trapped while ash fell all around her”. 

       The weather at the time was perfect for destruction. With wind speed of 60 mph, but reaching heights such as 80 mph as the morning arose. In areas like mountains and foothills, and overall areas that haven’t seen a drop of rain in a while, winds were so bad they topped 100 mph. Over 1,400 firefighters were deployed to aid the three fires. There remains no investigation results as to why the fires were started. 

      In a senior housing facility, residents were wheeled to a nearby parking lot by wheelchairs and hospital beds. Photos from the scene show an older lady wrapped in blankets with her ears covered, as two staff steer her to safety. Following are more groups of staff and residents. The oldest was 102 years old.

       As firefighters and locals continue to fight the fires and restore the destroyed communities, victims are being treated in hHospitals from their intense burns and injuries.

Hurricane Helene kills more than 100 people across 6 states

10/2/24

By: Maddy Condon, 10 

Hurricane Helene made landfall with devastating winds and torrential rainfall, leaving destruction among states. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a category 4 hurricane. The storm left people with short supplies and power. Roads and Bridges were closed, electricity could take a week or longer to come back, emergency services were stretched, and some people's homes were gone. The storm hit North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia. 

As of now, 130 people across the six states were killed by Hurricane Helene. Officials fear that the death rate might go up. Hundreds of people have been reported missing. The missing might not be able to reach out to contact family or leave their location due to conditions. 

Helene's destruction stretched more than 500 miles from coastal Florida to the Blue Ridge mountains. Hundreds of roads are closed, making it really hard to deliver supplies that are needed. More than 2 million people remain without power.

The White House said that President Joe Biden is going to visit some of the badly affected communities this week. He will visit when it will not disrupt any emergencies. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump said their condolences to those communities affected by Hurricane Helene.     

Hurricane Helene left a tragic aftermath on multiple states and communities. Everyone is hoping for a smooth, speedy, and safe recovery.

TikTok bill signed into law, what it means for Americans

5/1/24

By: Brady Hudson, 10

Efforts to ban the Chinese-owned app ‘TikTok’ have been around for years now, beginning under the Trump administration and continuing under President Biden. Many young people may not understand what the contents of the bill are - which makes sense, because a bill attempting to ‘ban’ an app of this size is unprecedented. Not only that, but the bill is not merely one single TikTok ban - it is a part of a package of bills giving aid to Ukraine, Israel, and other funds.

Ultimately, the TikTok ‘ban’ isn’t really a ban, as stated previously. Upon its signing, it started a 9-month countdown for ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, to sell the US version of TikTok to an American owner or an American company. Should ByteDance fail to do so within the 9 months allotted by the bill (so, within January 2025), then the US government would force Apple and Android to take TikTok off of their app stores, thus making the app obsolete within a few updates.

While efforts to ban TikTok have happened before, and especially under the Trump administration, no bill has ever been passed before with this magnitude of importance and strictness before. It is also not the first ever TikTok ban in the US - many state governments have set government-owned devices to ban TikTok before this bill was even discussed. Additionally, international governments have banned TikTok before - with the largest one to do so being India, which is in the middle of its own Cold War with China. Misinformation and disinformation can lead young and impressionable people to not only spread the misinformation, but also to not get the right information about a current event or topic, and misinformation can ironically be spread fast on social medias such as TikTok - we must take proactive measures to combat this spread of misinformation.

Extremely active Hurricane season to come in 2024

By: Anonymous, 10

Many people have been looking at the summer and what the weather will be, especially the heat mixed with the storms that will be produced by strong warm weather.

Many meteorologists have been looking at the upcoming hurricane season and are telling people to be aware of what they are expecting.  Typically, from 1991-2020 the average of storms have been 14.4 named storms and around 69.4 named storm days, but from meteorologist analysis of this upcoming year it is going to be a lot worse.  They are expecting around 23 named storms and 115 named storm days.  With these hurricanes, there is a prediction for major storms to be making landfall a lot more often and having a bigger impact than past years in the Caribbean, continental United States coastline. 

The hurricane season starts on June 1 and ends around November 30 with the most active parts being in mid-August to October.  The highly expected season for hurricanes is fueled by the warm surface temperatures of the ocean mixed with the warm tropical Atlantic, all brought up by the La Niña conditions.  La Niña conditions are very favorable to hurricanes as they decrease the vertical winds.  

The probability of these storms hitting the coastline has jumped 20%.  There is a 62% chance of landfall for a category 3,4,5 hurricanes to hit, which is higher than last year's probability of 43%. The southern states, especially Florida, have been expected to have a 42% probability to have a major hurricane hit.  This is expected to be a season where there will be many major categories 3,4,5 in many areas in North America, especially on the coast of the Atlantic.  

So, whether you're from northeast to southwest you have a pretty high chance of experiencing a hurricane even if you haven't had one for 33 years such as New England. 

3 U.S. soldiers stationed in Jordan killed, Pentagon claims

2/5/24

By: Brady Hudson, 10

The Pentagon announced this past week that 3 United States soldiers were killed while stationed in the Middle Eastern country of Jordan, with 33 additional soldiers being injured. The casualties were caused by a drone strike, likely from Iranian-backed militias in Syria. These casualties were the first since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war all the way back in October 2023.

President Joe Biden announced that the perpetrators of this attack will be held “to account”, believing them to be from “carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.” Recently, President Biden spoke with members of the deceased’s family, and vowed to take action against Iran and its militias throughout the Middle East.

Recently, the United States and United Kingdom began to carry out drone strikes in the Middle East. According to both President Biden and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, these strikes are in target of the Houthi rebels in Yemen, though it is clear that these strikes are much more far and wide that merely Houthi forces. The recent drone strikes in the Levant (another term for Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon) are the first time the United States has struck both Iraq and Syria at the same time. 

However, on the other side of this conflict, the views on these attacks are not as praised or wanted as they are in the Western world. In order to avoid a war from totally boiling over in the region, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has officially declared these attacks as incidental to strikes in Yemen. Despite this, the Pentagon has warned Iran that escalation of the conflict is not in it or the region’s best interests.

Austin officially responded, stating that "[the United States] will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways."

Earthquake hits Morocco 

By: Leah Foley, 12 

9/15/23

On September 11th, 2023 a horrific earthquake hit Morocco. The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.8, which caused much damage. This earthquake occurred due to the tectonic plates moving. When they move it causes friction and stress which then leads to the earthquake.  

The earthquake caused buildings to collapse. Many residents lost their homes. Morocco is going to have a huge challenge ahead of them as they try to give aid to their citizens. It is estimated that 300,000 people were affected. This is on top of the communities that will need to be restored. 

About 3,000 people have died. 5,500 were reported to be severely injured. Most of the dead citizens were found underneath the rubble. This rubble was created from the destroyed, fallen buildings.

Finally, surrounding countries entered Morocco to help with the natural disaster that occurred. Britain and Spain were two of the countries that began to help. They sent search teams across the country. As they were searching, the chance of finding survivors began to fade. One natural disaster sent devastation across the country of Morocco. 

U.S. COVID Public Health Emergency Ends

5/11/23

By: Nathan Quirk, 10

The COVID-19 public health emergency ended in the United States on May 11, 2023. On January 31, 2020, after there were six confirmed cases of a new coronavirus in the US, federal health officials came together at the White House and declared a public health emergency. After over three years of this emergency and the restrictions that came with it, there have been over 6 million hospitalizations and 1.1 million deaths due to COVID. Many remain concerned about the virus, but emergencies can't go on forever.

Early in the pandemic, there were major restrictions and investments to help stop the spread. This includes vaccine developments, free tests, free vaccines, mask mandates, social distancing, and more. But now all of these are being dismantled once and for all. To receive a COVID vaccine, you will now need an insurance card, unlike before. Patients will also have to go to the doctor, get a prescription and pay a copay when it comes to COVID tests and treatments, just like we do for all other sicknesses.

The CDC announced they will cut back on COVID-19 data tracking. They will continue to track COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, but will scale back on tracking and reporting new infections. Many things created and used during the pandemic that are useful will continue to stay in place. For example, Telemedicine is also expected to stay in place for people to access and use.

Finally, mask mandates across the US will be lifted from everywhere. This lift also includes hospitals and medical offices. Which is a huge change for the healthcare system but will be welcomed by many. Hopefully, next time there is a global pandemic, we will be better prepared to deal with the situation. 

COVID has been a struggle for many of us and finally, we have found the light at the end of the tunnel.

Mall Shot Up in Allen Texas

5/11/23

By: Drew Kavanagh, 10

A shooter killed 8 victims in a mall in Allen, Texas. The shooter was known as Mauricio Garcia. A 33-year-old who was carrying three guns and had five more in his car. He might have been a white supremacist, which is why he opened fire on people of other ethnicities.

Garcia was originally a security guard and had legally obtained the guns he had. He also seemed to be a Neo-Nazi since that is what his online posts were about along with prior mass shootings and guns. And he possessed tattoos and patches that also expressed these ideas.

When the shooter started opening fire, eight people died, with seven others wounded. After these fatalities and injuries, the police finally got to him. An Allen officer present for an unrelated call killed the gunman.

The people who died were 3 members of the Cho family, who had one of their sons killed but the other wasn’t, Daniela and Sofia Mendoza, who were both elementary students, Elio Cumana-Rivas, a 32-year-old who was very close with his family, Christian LaCour, a security guard who died trying to get others to safety, and Aishwarya Thatikonda, who died visiting the mall with her friend. These people did not deserve to die. And they will be remembered by their families. Shootings like this should never happen again and need to be stopped.

Republican Senator Rand Paul blocks bill to ban TikTok 

3/30/23

By: Nathan Quirk, 10

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul voted against the bill to ban TikTok in the US Senate on March 29, 2023. Senator Paul blocked this ban as more than 150 million Americans use it. He believes that this would be a way to block free speech and would create uneven treatment of social media companies. Every social media platform gets accused of data gathering. None of them get banned, including the Meta apps (Instagram and Facebook), as well as Twitter and Snapchat.

Rand Paul was the only Republican senator to vote against this ban. Republican Senator Josh Hawley had fought for unanimous consent for a TikTok ban bill. In response to Hawley, Senator Paul said, “I think we should beware of those who use fear to coax Americans to relinquish our liberties.” Hawley then said, “It protects the American people as well as sends a message to Communist China that you cannot buy us," and added the app is spying on Americans. This did not stop Rand Paul from voting against the ban. Mr. Paul is being praised greatly on TikTok for saving them from yet another attempt to ban the app.

Republican Senator Paul also brought up a great point to the Republican senate. He said, “If Republicans want to continuously lose elections for a generation, they should pass this bill to ban TikTok -- a social media app used by 150 million people, primarily young Americans.” The Kentucky Senator also talked about how banning the app is reminiscent of Chinese speech bans. He says they are becoming China and will ban speech they are “afraid of”.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he expects a bill to be taken up in the House to address TikTok soon. It is not clear what a final bill to ban TikTok may look like from the House. A few Republicans and Democrats have been voicing their opinions about freedom of speech and other issues that will arise from a TikTok ban. As well as my others speaking about their ideas on what a social media bill should look like in their eyes.

It is clear that if TikTok were to be banned, 150 million Americans would be very upset about this decision. It could influence the future of US politics significantly.

US government looking to ban TikTok

3/30/23

By: James Madden, 9

The United States government is currently looking to ban everyone in the USA from using TikTok, They are doing this because run by TikTok is a Chinese company, Byte Dance, and they think that they are worried of possible user data from citizens.

The United States has already banned TikTok on government official devices. They did this back in December when President Joe Biden signed legislation prohibiting TikTok on all federal devices. Currently, 27 states have banned or restricted access of the app in some way.

 On Friday, March 24th the CEO of TikTok, Shou Chew, had a meeting with United States government officials in the form of a Congressional hearing. The meeting talked about how TikTok was not going to send data to the Chinese for any reason. Chew was asked several questions regarding user security and user data concerns. 

Some colleges have also started to ban TikTok on school Wi-Fi. Purdue University, one of the biggest schools in the United States, blocked access to TikTok on the university network. Additionally, Florida A&M is also a very big school that has blocked TikTok on the school's Wi-Fi.

One of the lead senators trying to ban TikTok is Missouri's Representative Josh Hawley. On Wednesday, March 29th he tried to force a vote that would get TikTok banned from operating in the United States.

TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps in the younger generation. It would affect a lot of people if it were to get banned.

Mississippi tornadoes cause devastation

3/30/23

By: Maddox Jank, 11

March 24, 2023, A multiple large tornadoes formed in Mississippi, causing mass destruction. Around 8:00 pm that day, A massive tornado touched down in Mississippi near Rolling Fork. While it isn't unusual for these states to receive tornadoes, the destruction caused would be more than locals have seen in a long time. 

The tornadoes formed from a supercell storm, these storms are extremely rare but also some of the most destructive. These storms are also known to last for long amounts of time. This particular storm lasted an hour and 10 minutes. In perfect conditions and with more than enough time, these tornadoes created a combined 90 miles of destruction.

The first tornado that touched down near Rolling Fork was rated a 4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale (EF) and had wind speeds of 170 mph. It moved northeast almost 60 miles, causing large amounts of destruction on its way, for over an hour. A little while later, a smaller tornado touched down near Black Hawk, Mississippi. This tornado was rated an EF3 and had wind speeds of 150 mph. It traveled about 30 miles east through Winona and later ended by Kilmicheal.

Once the storm was over, the community was left devastated. Power lines, homes, stores, and many buildings were flattened and demolished. A total of 26 people died in the tornadoes, leaving the locals in shock. Many people stated that these tornadoes were unlike any others they’ve ever seen. This storm has left the state of Mississippi traumatized, saddened, and in need of help.

The destruction of this natural disaster was completely unexpected, leaving many dead and without homes, thoughts, and prayers go out to the community of Mississippi.

Nashville School Shooting

3/30/23

By: Drew Kavanaugh, 10

3 adults and 3 children were shot dead due to a shooter who had an emotional disorder in the Covenant School in Nashville on March 17th, 2023. The shooter was a 28-year-old named Audrey Hale. The parents did not know the shooter had possession of 7 firearms, 3 of which the shooter used in the shooting. There is no clear motive for the shooting, but the police found evidence that it was planned out, since the shooter had maps of the school and there was possibly a second shooting location.

The shooter also had mental issues, which may have been a cause of why the school was attacked. Following the shooting, reports came out identifying the shooter as transgender using he/him pronouns, which may be related to the mental issues and why the school was attacked. But as of right now, the police have not confirmed anything about the motives behind the shooting.

The entirety of Nashville was hit by the shooting, especially the relatives of the victims and the shooter. The victims consisted of three 9-year-old students Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney, Hallie Scruggs, and three adults, Cynthia Peake, a 61-year-old substitute teacher, Katherine Koonce, the 60-year-old head of the school, and Mike Hill, a 61-year-old custodian. There were going to be more victims, but thankfully the police killed the shooter before any more damage could be done.

The police recently released body cam footage of the shooting. It shows the events of the shooting and how fast the police responded compared to the Uvalde shooting. It even showed the shooter getting shot to death by the police. Sadly, 6 lives were lost during the shooting and there should be more to stop these shootings.

Pfizer Has Moved On From COVID 

3/17/23

By: Madelynn Perry, 11

Pfizer plans to buy the company Seagan on March 13, 2023, to further cancer research.  Pfizer has now moved on from COVID and is beginning their research on cancer. A company, called Seagan is researching cancer therapies and specialize in transformative cancer therapies. Their goal is to help people affected by cancer. On March 13, 2023, Pfizer will make a deal to buy Seagan for $43 billion dollars. This deal between the two companies is planned to officially happen between late 2023 and early 2024. 

Pfizer is a company that made a version of the COVID vaccine, which millions of Americans took during the pandemic. Two years ago August 23, 2021, the FDA announced that Pfizer was the first approved COVID vaccine. This was a very big deal for them to be the first company. The company ended up making about 24.29 billion dollars just from the COVID vaccine. 

Pfizer hopes that they will have the same success as the COVID vaccine with the cancer drugs. Pfizer's revenue will go up significantly after they buy this company. Can Pfizer help cure cancer? 

Train derails in Ohio

3/2/23

By: Maddox Jank, 10

In East Palestine, Ohio on February 3, 2023, at 8:54 pm local time, a merchandise train derailed. The train was trailing a total of thirty-eight rail cars, twenty of which carrying hazardous materials. 11 of the 20 hazardous material cars derailed, while no injuries or fatalities were reported, some of the chemicals leaked and started a fire on the train. The cause for the derailment is still being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, or the NTSB.

 Lists of the chemicals being carried are available online, the most concerning being vinyl chloride. An extremely carcinogenic chemical which can kill quickly at high levels of exposure. A lot of it was burned in the fire, but there was still some spilled. People in the surrounding area were evacuated and a controlled clean-up and burn was performed.

While the chemicals were cleaned up and disposed of as fast as they could be, there are still concerns for the environment from the public. The evacuation notice was lifted, but people quickly started to notice some of the lasting effects of the chemical leak. Such as runoff into soil and bodies of water, along with acid rain from the vinyl chloride in the atmosphere that spread over a large part of the US.

The state of Ohio is doing little to help solve this issue and as a result is hearing an outcry from the residents. Many fear for the future of their state, along with the long-lasting negative effect of these chemicals on their homes and family. A vast majority of people still refuse to return to East Palestine out of fear for what could happen. A lot of people online are comparing the severity of this event similarly to Chernobyl.

The community could be permanently negatively affected by this disaster in the future if the government doesn't take any action soon.

Death totals in Turkey and Syria pass 40,000 from earthquakes

2/28/23

By: James Madden, 9

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria 10 days ago and left extreme damage behind. Over 40,000 people have died, and several houses have collapsed from damage or have to be torn down due to the sudden quakes.

On Monday, Turkey was hit with another 5.2 magnitude earthquake. This resulted in 1 death, 110 injuries, and 29 more buildings collapsed from this earthquake. 

Since the first earthquake, there have been thousands of small aftershocks. Some of the aftershocks were almost as strong as the initial earthquake. One after shock was recorded to be 6.3 magnitude.

President Biden announced that $85 million will be sent to Turkey and Syria to help with the damage and devastation. He also said that the USA sent over a search and rescue team, medical supplies, and equipment.  Other countries have also sent people and equipment to help.

It is going to take years for turkey to recover from this earthquake. They have to build homes for over 1.5 million people who are now homeless from the earthquake.  World Bank estimates 34.5 billion dollars in damage and rebuilding may cost double.

It may take years for Turkey and Syria to recover from this earthquake, but thankfully the world is here to support its citizens.

Inflation affects many people in US over last few years

2/6/23

By: Drew Kavanagh, 10

US citizens have faced major inflation in the past few years. First off, inflation is the general increase in prices and the fall in the value of money. This means that certain items cost more money than usual. They have been continually increasing in cost since a couple of years ago.

With the increase in cost, people have been suffering from it. People who used to be able to purchase many goods are now only able to purchase very few goods. Sometimes these people will have to get rid of buying certain things entirely just to have a stable amount of money.

Possibly the most inflated product, gasoline, has been devastating to certain people. Specifically, people who drive cars and who use them on a day-to-day basis. These people usually use their cars almost every day, which means they use a lot of gasoline. Gasoline’s major increase leads to people who drive cars having to conserve a lot of money just to have enough gas to go from place to place in their cars. The average gas price in Massachusetts right now is about $3.43.

Inflation not only affects people, but affects businesses as well. It’s crazy to think how it doesn’t only affect people. Inflation can cause businesses to experience erosion of purchasing power, shortages of finished products in the market, and rising costs related to borrowing money. Inflation is a big problem that has affected many people during the past couple of years.

Colombia mudslide destroys bus full of people 

12/3/22

By: Cole Harrington, 12

On the morning of December 5th a large mudslide hit a road in the northern province of Choco, Columbia. Heavy rainfall has hit the northern province of Choco which has lead to disastrous effects on the roads. The effect of this rainfall being heavy mudslides. These mudslides have taken a bus full of people along with them. Lucky at the time of writing 5 people have been found and rescued from the disaster. But we should celebrate, considering that there are still 20 people missing and stuck on that bus. 

We know that 3 people have been killed by the landslide, but only one of them was confirmed to be inside the bus at the time. The other two people were killed in their own vehicles. One of the vehicles being a jeep and the other was a motorbike being used by a little girl.

The residents of Choco have rushed to aid the people trapped inside the mudslide with their bare hands.  The police are not pleased with this development due to the fact that dislodging the bus could cause it to slide down uncontrollably.  Even though mudslides are fairly common in Colombia, we still have to make an effort to cover and talk about the issue affecting them even if it’s common. All we can do about their situation is spread awareness and pray for them.

Qatar’s Outlandish Rules for the World Cup

12/1/22

By: Sean O'Donoghue, 11

Qatar is the location for this World Cup. Some of the rules, laws, and customs of Qatar are blasphemous for the setting of such a worldwide event.

Qatar was chosen as the location for the coveted, worldwide enjoyed, and beloved World Cup of Football. Most countries get the chance to fight into the World Cup, and fans from these countries, thousands of them, travel across the world to see their team in the World Cup. The issue with Qatar is the revealed facts about their laws and practices there. 

First off, the most important one, is the likely imprisonment of someone who identifies with homosexuality. Obviously a country is its own country, and can base their own beliefs however they feel appropriate, but for a worldwide event to be set in a place where homosexual people are likely to be imprisoned is absurd. Secondly, is the ban on random items, such as pork delicacies. Yes, it is clear that this is a religious belief, but these random, unwarranted rules and laws in this country makes it an unsuitable place for such a massive event.

Biden Pardons Turkey, Chocolate and Chip

11/21/22

By: Jacob Harvey, 9

On Monday, President Joe Biden pardoned two turkeys, Chocolate and Chip. If you didn’t know, pardoned means to forgive or excuse someone. The pardoning of the two turkeys is a tradition where the President of the United States exempts one or two turkeys from being killed. 

This year, President Biden chose two turkeys, naming them Chocolate and Chip respectfully. These turkeys are being pardoned from being killed for Thanksgiving. The reason why the president named the two turkeys Chocolate and Chip is because chocolate chip ice cream is his favorite ice cream flavor. Joe was also cracking jokes during the pardoning because of the names of the two turkeys. He additionally was petting the turkeys, showing that he is a friend of fellow turkeys. One of the turkeys eventually had enough of the love Joe was giving them, and decided to nip at him, which caused him to jolt back in surprise. 

In past years, President Obama chose two turkeys, naming them “Courage” and “Caroline.” Obama also while doing this also said a quote about how on the day of the pardoning, it is a good and bad day for turkeys. The quote goes,“Tomorrow is one of the best days of the year to be an American. It’s a day to count our blessings, spend time with the ones we love, and enjoy some good food and some great company. But it’s also one of the worst days of the year to be a turkey. They don’t have it so good.”

Cockatoos Find New Ways to Get Into People’s Trash

10/11/22

By: Sophia Barry

The new rising matter that's in Australia, as Cockatoos are taking the lids off of people's trash and making a mess of it. This was brought up about three weeks ago on September 17, 2022, in the article titled, “Bin-opening cockatoos enter an arms race with humans”. Nobody knows exactly why they’re doing this. All we know is these smart birds are figuring out how to get around bricks and large rocks, to turn remembering to put the lid on your trash into a high-maintenance chore.

The biggest part of a cockatoo's life is leaving the nest. However, Australia's creative, sulfur-crested cockatoos appear to have begun an "innovation arms race" with humans, scientists say. Meaning, cockatoos are taking the tops off of trash bins and digging into their trash without anyone’s awareness. "If we don't close the bin right after throwing out the rubbish they'll be in there," said Ana Culic, 21, manager of the town's Loaf Cafe. "Cockatoos everywhere. Like, just rubbish all over the front area.". Some of the tactics used to scare cockatoos away were using owl statues. 

People have tried placing bricks on the bin lids, but the cockatoos learned to remove them, and finally, they drilled a lock into the bin, which seemed to have done the trick for these intelligent birds and taught them to stay away from people’s garbage. From the article, 42-year-old Matt Hoddo adds, "They're evolving. Yeah, like if you go back like five-ten years ago, they didn't know how to open bins, so they're figuring stuff out.” 

Living not too far from Matt, 40-year-old resident Skie Jones said he had resorted to an elastic cord to hold down the lid of his household bin. Apparently, the birds managed to remove a brick in addition to a larger rock. "I have got a feeling I am going to be going for an actual lock," he said. "That's only a matter of time." It is a debate on who will be declared the winner of the arms race. "I think ultimately it will be the humans," said Klump. 

"But we need to see how it develops," she added, explaining that it was easy to underestimate the work involved for humans in protecting their bins every week from these devious birds.

Russia escalates attacks on Ukraine

9/21/22

By Gabe Reynolds, 10

For the first time since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which they agreed to strengthen security ties. 

Insiders working with the Associated Press have provided the following information. Guo Shengkun, a high ranking official of the CCP, stated that “in the current conditions, our countries must show even greater readiness for mutual support and development of cooperation.” Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of the national security council for Russia, stated that “strengthening of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation with Beijing is an unconditional priority of Russia’s foreign policy.” 

Xi has refused to criticize Russia’s military actions, and have increased imports of Russian oil and gas, offsetting Western sanctions. This comes at the same time a Russian missile was reported to have struck near a Ukraine nuclear plant. The reactor remained undamaged, however, Ukrainians have denounced this as an attack of “nuclear terrorism.” This appears to be a continuation of Russia's attempts to shut down Ukrainian power plants. 

Russia has suffered many setbacks during their 7 month invasion of Ukraine, however, these recent events show that the war is still long from over. 

Queen Elizabeth II's death has rocked the UK, as well as many other parts of the world

9/19/22

By: Aislin Wyper, 10

Queen Elizabeth II passed away late last week on thursday, September 8, 2022, after more than 70 years on the throne. Following her death, an increasing number of people wish to pay respect to their late Queen, but because of this, the queue for the queen's coffin has officially been paused. Reportedly, the line to file past her coffin is already 5 miles long, and at the moment. The waiting time is around 14 hours. 

Aside from the wave of grief Queen Elizabeth's death caused, there are also other discussions arising from this event. Currently, The UK is amidst a poverty crisis, but the Queen's funeral takes priority. Money that could be used to combat this, is instead going towards the Queens funeral, and King Henry III crowning.

The Queen's death has also served as a reminder of the disappearing WWII generation. As we continue to get older, so does the generation of men and women who both lived through, and fought in the country's battles in WW 2. Just as the queen had, these men and women are quickly getting older, as even the youngest among them are nearing their 100th year. It has been stated that, "The queen was a personification of that generation.. And with her passing, it just drives home the sense that time is moving relentlessly, as it does." As time goes on, it becomes more clear that we are nearing the end of this generation.

Along with all of this, the death of Queen Elizabeth II has also reignited the debate in New Zealand as to whether or not New Zealand should continue to recognize the monarch of Britain as its symbolic head of state, or if it should, instead, take the final step toward its independence by becoming a republic. Queen Elizabeth II's death has affected many people, and has inadvertently caused many different discussions.

Pakistan loses 1,500 in major flooding 

9/20/22

By: Sam Kuhn, 12

Pakistan citizens are mourning the loss of 1,500 after extreme floods engulf the area. Starting mid-june 2022, Pakistan has seen a record breaking monsoon begin to submerge their country. This arose after Pakistan experienced abnormally heavy rain in the South part of the country. The rain from only June through August was 190% of their normal rainfall. It exceeded their normal amount by over 26%. This heartbreaking natural disaster have caused thousands of pakistani natives to go homeless. Citizens have resided to living in makeshift tents as their homes get swept away. No less than 1 million homes have been scarred by these floods. Over 5,000 roads, bridges and shops have sustained some level of damage. According to Syen Raza Hassan from Reuters News, the pakistan government has predicted that 33 million, or 13% of the entire population will be affected by these deluges.

 But how does this happen? Scientists find that global warming is the cause of this catastrophe. These flash floods have been worsened by greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists are working tirelessly to study how human-made changes in earth's anatomy are having ramifications to the severe weather. Shockingly, these delgues are the most fatal in a recent continuation of extreme weather in the Northern Hemisphere. How is this affecting the citizens of Pakistan? Over 90,000 people are being treated everyday in the country. Children and Women are suffering severely from water-borne diseases that continue to spread. Malaria, being one of the diseases, is an extremely fatal disease caused by parasites. Pakistan will receive a major blow to their economy and their inflation has topped 27%. Pakistan is constantly listed as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. This time, they were hit harder than ever.

Global Warming breaks records of forest fires

9/19/22

By: Jacob Harvey, 9

Global Warming has caused record breaking cases of forest fires around the world. Fires have been seen all around the world causing havoc. Millions of trees are burned and residents in the areas are forced to move out to different areas because of the smoke caused by the fires. The cause of it all has been global warming according to studies being conducted by climatologists.

Global warming has been a serious problem for years and it is now showing signs of getting worse in little time. If people do not find a way to get the fires under control, who knows how much of the Earth will be on fire. According to the National Weather Service, climatologists have done research on how to get the fires under control and global warming to be not as big an issue. They have researched different ways of getting rid of pollution using technology that turns carbon dioxide into oxygen.

This technology could be a huge help for the world as pollution is the main reason behind global warming. If pollution is removed or dulled down in the amount produced, the world's temperature will go down and forest fires will become less of a common occurrence. Global warming does have a fix to it. It's just a matter of time and effort before we discover the solution to it.

Buffalo Shooting Leaves U.S. in Mourning

5/18/22

By: Lauren Perry, 12

There was an unimaginable attack at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, last Sunday, that left ten innocent people dead and three injured.  Why would anyone do this?  The worst part about this whole thing is that it was a planned out attack.  The attacker's name was Payton Gendron he was an eighteen year old man who opened fire with an AR-15 style rifle.  The man traveled to the store from another state in March to scout it out and “get a feel” for it.  He then came back from states away to carry out the attack.  Additionally, this attack was a racially motivated hate crime.  Eleven out of the thirteen people were African Americans. On top of all of this, he live streamed the whole thing, which was taken down shortly after.  He was wearing protective body armor and had a camera attached to a helmet.  Not only did he take the lives of many innocent people but he destroyed many families by trying to record this awful act of violence.  This is one of the most inhumane things to happen in our country.  It is important to remember the victims and pay respect to those who were lost. 

Elon Musk Buys Twitter

5/5/2022

By: Emmanuel Nelson, 9

Just recently Elon had decided to buy the company of Twitter many people have brought up some controversies about the action taken.  The company was sold for almost 44 billion dollars this last weekend to Elon Musk. Some people believe that the only reason he took custody of the company is to enforce his own ideas of what freedom of speech was. They believed that he wants the website to be a place where he can judge other people without getting blamed for it since it’d only be considered an opinion of his.  This idea can be taken in many different ways since not everyone has the same idea of what freedom of speech is some others believe that talking about your opinion is important but only if it doesn’t go against someone else's belief or if they accept and want to hear about it. 

The Britain parliament committee of online safety legislation has invited Elon Musk to talk about his future plans for the website after purchasing it. There are certain changes planned to take place on Twitter, in the next couple of months Musk plans to make the website much safer not only that but an edit button will be added to one of the app features this is because Musk wants the service to be freer of speech for the people to share their ideas without posts getting deleted because of this problem.

Russia Sets Ceasefire But the Fighting Does Not Stop

3/12/22

By: Anonymous, 12

Today Russia announced another cease-fire in order to let Ukraine’s civilians flee.  It’s unclear if any evacuations have actually been taking place.  This could be a result of the evacuation routes not being ideal.  The evacuation routes lead to Russia and Belarus.  Belarus, however, is an ally with Russia.  This factor may not be very promising, but a statement made by a Ukrainian official gives a sign of hope.  It was stated that there has been minor progress on establishing safe corridors for evacuation.  These corridors are expected to open on Tuesday.  Once they are open, civilians will be able to safely flee Ukraine.  While the ceasefire has collapsed in certain cities, there is still uncertainty about what the future holds.  For the most part, women and children have been evacuating while the men stay in Ukraine.  The evacuees have been leaving by car or on foot.  At this point the ceasefire has come to an end.  The ongoing fighting has continued, and the future is unknown.  

Russia Continues to Attacks Ukraine

3/8/22

By: Dan Chelmo, 9

It has been over two weeks since Russia has invaded Ukraine on February 24th, 2022, but luckily citizens are starting to evacuate. President Vladimir Putin has sent soldiers to attack the capital of Kyiv, in Ukraine in the hopes to diminish any possibility of them joining forces with several allied countries in NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). This treaty alliance has 30 countries signed, one of the biggest being the United States. The possibility for Ukraine to join was in arrangement, until Russia felt threatened by their neighboring country. 

Now, several countries and companies are sending aid to Ukraine to help assist families and those hurt from the bombing invasion. For the United States, it's a tricky situation. For example, nobody wants Russia to attack because starting a possible World War III could lead to a serious threat to multiple countries. One way the U.S. is protesting Russia is by putting up sanctions so that people won’t get imports like gas and oil from them. Additionally, Russia is a key source for things like wheat and fertilizer and is threatening to stop giving them to certain countries because they are not helping them. Ukraine is surprisingly doing a great job defending Russia as of right now even though Russia is powerful, bigger, and stronger. They are also getting a lot of help unlike Russia, countries like the United Kingdom and United States are giving them weapons to try to help them defend themselves. It is uncertain of what is to come next, but hopefully Ukraine and Russia come to a resolution soon. 

Ukraine’s Devastation To Families

3/9/22

By: Rachel Silva 

The devastation in Ukraine is affecting many families, pushing them out of their homes. With all the chaos and devastation in Ukraine at the moment, many families are being affected. Separation can never be easy, especially from the ones you love. Evacuation of many people is necessary in order to ensure their safety. Currently the international border gates are the enemy, as they are splitting families apart. It is mainly women and children crossing through, affected by the separation. Mothers are speaking out about the heartbreaking goodbyes they have to endure when it comes to their children. These people are feeling cut off from not only their families but also their homes. It is hard enough to part from your loved ones, nevermind the place you call home. Men are currently forbidden to leave their country. Adding to this sense of loss and separation from their family. Mothers have to take the lead, trying to care for themselves and all their children in this scary time. Imagine the heartbreak that comes with watching the place you know being destroyed by all this violence, and you have to sit there and watch. There is nothing you can do to stop all this loss and hardship. Families in Ukraine need help, to stop all this hurting and chaos.

Queen Elizabeth States Camilla Will Take The Title of ‘Queen Consort’

2/16/22

By: Jake Brady, 12

As Queen Elizabeth approaches the end of her reign, should we expect to call Camilla ‘Queen’?  Last Saturday, the Queen confirmed that Camilla will take the title of ‘Queen Consort’.  This means that she will share status with her husband, Prince Charles.  Normally, someone in Camilla’s position would take the title of ‘Princess Consort’ and maintain the power of a princess.  For example, Prince Phillip was titled ‘Prince Consort.’  

The Queen states, “When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes king, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me.”  After the death of Princess Diana and the marriage of Charles and Camilla, there have been years of speculation and opinions.  Camilla’s status has been in question due to Princess Diana fans basically shunning her.  Queen Elizabeth II, in a way, brought an end to mixed emotions around Camilla.  

Who does this affect?  Besides Camilla herself, it will affect everyone that is ruled by future King Charles.  One third of the world’s population is ruled by the British monarchy.  This means the 15 countries that are under their rule will consider Camilla “Queen Consort”.  This unexpected enhancement of power will bring about a new version of a Queen.  The Duchess of Cornwall will rule alongside her husband, and it might be sooner than we think.   

U.S. States Are Beginning To Lift Mask Mandates

2/16/22

By: Ryan Brady, 12

As Covid-19 cases decrease across the country, as well as hospitalizations dropping too, mask mandates are beginning to fall state by state. States like Nevada, New York, and Illinois have already ended their mask mandates this week. As the omnicron variant subsides, several states are ending their mask mandates as soon as this month. Cases are currently decreasing and the omnicron wave is also subsiding which makes this decision make more sense. The number of hospitalizations is also decreasing by a lot. Given the steady and promising decrease of these numbers has doctors saying that it is safe at this point to do away with the mandate. The White House as well as many other states are beginning this conversation too. In Massachusetts, The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is allowing the statewide mandate to expire as soon as February 28th. This will allow people to make their own decision on whether or not they will wear their masks while at school. Governor Charlie Baker did not make this decision alone, as many other states have decided on the same expiration date for the mandate. Masks will still be required on school buses but once students arrive at school, they will have the freedom to take it off if they wish. The dean of Brown University says, “While I’ve called for waiting a few more weeks until hospitalizations drop further, I understand our leaders reflect where folks are. But let’s not waste this reprieve. Let’s prepare for whatever future surges & variants may come.”

Asking For Abortion Rights Shouldn’t Have to Turn Into a Battle 

12/7/21

By: Angela Dodd, 9

Abortion rights are being thrown around like nothing and we’re tired of it. "Statistics bear out that any time a country, a state, makes more restrictive abortion laws...fatalities go up and abortions actually increase." This shows that the more strict laws you enforce, the more rebellion you are going to see. These people are putting such confining rules on people when it comes to something they need. There are so many various circumstances when an abortion is really necessary. So many of these fatalities are rooting from very young people who are blocked from getting access to abortions when it is extremely necessary for them. Some people have to reach far lengths to get an abortion, and that means it will have to be an illegal abortion. When someone gets an illegal abortion, it usually works but there is lots of suffering following afterwards and rarely even death. This is why being able to have a legal, safe abortion is so important because we don’t want people to keep dying from something that we shouldn’t have to worry about dying from. “Rep. Steve Daines — who opposes abortion rights — “proposed making women criminals for having an abortion.” This shows how far of an extent some people will go to ban getting an abortion. Not just cisgender women are losing access to abortions. There are trans, nonbinary, genderfluid, etc people also losing control over their bodies. Since this guy is in such high power, who knows what will happen in the future. “I cannot give up this platform to promote complacency and peace when there is a war on my body and a war on my rights.” We are over trying to pretend and make everything look like sunshine and rainbows when there is obviously a huge storm going on. Especially on social media, there is so much talk about all of the great things happening in people's lives, but there seems to be more silence on this very strong, important issue. Social media has an impact on the abortion rights movement, there are different stances people have about abortion and that is one of the key factors in the banning happening. As a result, people protest and fight for their abortion rights no matter what it takes. They have signs, posters, and their voices begging for full control over their bodies. All in all, this is a worldwide topic that affects people’s lives.

Israeli Scuba Diver Discovers Ancient Crusader Sword

11/18/21

By: Amanda Murphy, 12

On October 18th, 2021 an Israeli scuba diver discovered an ancient crusader sword, deep in the northern Israel oceans. Along with the sword he also found pottery. The Crusaders were men that took a vow to engage and fight in the series of, “The Crusades”: a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and directed by the Latin Church. In the area where the sword was found, there were thousands of other artifacts that dated back to 4,000 years ago, the sword is 900 years old. Shlomi Katzin, the diver, was given a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship. It is a law in Israel to not take any artifacts found or to resell any artifacts. There is an Institution formed for this sort of act, “Israel Antiquities Authority”. This is very different from what goes on in the United States. We have many, many websites that people buy and resell items off of, especially artifacts that are very wanted by people. Basically entrepreneurship. Over time this has become much more popular due to social media, the power of technology, and the want for the best of the best things. Israel sort of follows the “guidelines,” that national parks follow, that you cannot steal anything found in the park, as you cannot sell or buy any found artifact. This article was very interesting and grasped my attention, as to how a normal person, could find something that was from over 900 years ago, still intact. 

Climate Change is a Bigger Crisis Than Many May Believe

11/15/21

By: Angela Dodd, 9

Most of the increase in global temperatures since 1950 has been caused by human activity. For those of you who are not aware, climate change is basically the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in an area. Major factors that promote climate change are burning fossil fuels (such as oil, gas, and coal), deforestation, increasing livestock farming, and fertilizers containing nitrogen. Human activities have essentially increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere, warming the planet. The greenhouse gas concentration has been rising steadily, and terrible global temperatures along with it. Natural drivers, without human intervention, would push our planet toward a cooling period. The impacts of a 1.1-degree increase are noticeable today in the increased frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events from heat waves, droughts, flooding winter storms, hurricanes, and wildfires. Measurements made over the last few decades have demonstrated that ocean carbon dioxide levels have risen in response to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, leading to an increase in acidity. The ocean plays a huge role in regulating the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Rising levels of carbon dioxide dissolved in the ocean can have a negative effect on some marine life. We need to act smarter and not just wait until everything gets to the worst of the worst, we are already in terrible danger.

State Officials Extend Mask Mandate for Public Schools

10/4/21

By: Nick Harriman, 9

School districts with 80% of staff and students vaccinated can request that the state lifts Nov 1. Requirement early. Districts now have a mask mandate until at least November 1st, and some parents aren't happy. The reason for this extension is because they don't know how many districts have met the 80 percent mark yet. The good news is that schools who have 80 percent or more students and staff vaccinated can ask the state to lift the mandate before November 1st. Districts with 80% or more vaccination rate include Amherst Regional, Longmeadow, Colrain, Bernardston, Shelburne, Williamsburg and Hatsfield. 

But what about states outside of Massachusetts? Only 16 states, mostly on the East and West coasts, have a mask mandate for schools. Nevada has a specific mask mandate for K-12 students in counties with 100,000 or more residents. In eight states, mostly in the south and southwest, mask mandates are banned for schools entirely. Will there be enough kids vaccinated in order to lift the mandate? Most students want the pandemic to end so we can go to school maskless. For now, schools will be masked, if not all of the school year. In order for the pandemic to end, there needs to be united front.