By: Sadie Appel

By: Bailee Ward

A graduate from Western IL, Tyler Smith had been found deceased in a drainage ditch in downtown Galesburg on September 15th, 2018. Police reports Smith had recently moved from Rochelle,IL to Concord, California and was in Galesburg to fulfill his Army National Guard duties. On September 14th, Smith and a friend were at a local tavern and during that Smith was reportedly last seen at 11:30 p.m. leaving the bar alone on foot. Then on September 15th he was found dead at the bottom of Cedar Fork, just east of Academy Street. This was several hours after a missing person was filed when Smith failed to show up for his National Guard training. Cedar Fork is a concrete canal that runs northeast through Galesburg. GPD stated the cause of death as a drowing. Then 76 days later  on Nov 30th 2018, the GPD created a facebook post asking for information to assist in the investigation of Tyler Smith. January 30, 2019, Tyler’s parents, Sandra Halsne and Keith Smith had offered a $5,000 reward for the “arrest and conviction" of those involved in his death. The GPD also stated that that it”s unlikely that an arrest will be made,reportedly that Smith’s drowning was not the result of foul play or any kind of assault. His mother Sandra does not believe the Galesburg Police Department. July 12, 2019 Tyler’s parents contacted Gia Wright to help with their sons death. Gia Wright along with member of th network and GPD made a facebook posts that was recreating steps that Smith made the night on where his body was found. Smith was last seen on video and via text message at around 11:30pm,on September 14 his credit card receipts and his surveillance video of being at Casey's walking towards the canal. Nearly a year later on September 14th of 2020, asking for assistance and 729 days since his body was found, the Illinois state police department of criminal justice announced that it had become part of the investigation. Several Hundreds have attended to help raise money for scholarships and to help make donations to the law enforcement and fire departments. The investigation for Tyler Smiths is still continuing and the family has a $100,000 reward for any new information.

Source-https://www.wqad.com/article/news/local/timeline-tyler-smith-investigation/526-f7bb935a-f940-4838-9763-2b7ba70d1013 

As I scrolled on Tik Tok the other day, I came across a video that said the pay gap between men and women had grown significantly this year. I didn’t realize how big of a gap this was until I started researching.

According to ABC News, women earn $0.81 for every dollar their male counterparts earn. Statistics show that white women are losing over $500,000 over a 40 year career, and women of color lose over $1 million (Forbes). This is the second year in a row that the pay gap has widened, causing concern for the future.

Research suggests that one of the reasons this occurs is because women take on more caregiving responsibilities compared to men. They sacrifice their careers at the hands of motherhood and family. Single mothers are being hit the hardest because they struggle to find the balance between taking care of their children and providing money for their families all on their own. With the rise in costs for gas and groceries, it makes it even worse for these women to provide for their children.

Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women and Families, says that it can be hard for women (or employees in general) to come forward to express their concerns with their pay because people don’t always know what their coworkers are making. 

“I would encourage all workers to say to their employers, ‘We want more transparency in pay’” Forbes told ABC News. She also went on to say that people should not be penalized for talking about their wages because it’s important for that transparency.

Data has also been recorded by Glassdoor, “indicating that women’s earnings stop growing in their late 30s, while men’s wages continue to increase throughout their 40s” (HR Dive). While laws have been put in place to help resolve this issue, there is still a lot more work and effort that needs to be done in order to lessen the gender pay gap.

Sources:

ABC News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2Se3f_lDeM 

Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hollycorbett/2026/03/26/equal-pay-day-2026-the-bonus-gap-and-more-wage-gap--contributors/ 

HR Dive: https://www.hrdive.com/news/gender-pay-gap-grows-in-2026-equal-pay/815675/ 

By: Isabella Carstens

On April 9, 2026 Junior Executive Council had a meeting during study hall to discuss the upcoming prom plans and decorations. There were 7 members present and Mrs. Stropes was there as a supervisor. The group discussed how they are going to stay after school on the half day of friday, April 17 to blow up the balloons, and finish everything they can. They are planning on getting to Lavender Crest as soon as they can on the morning of prom so it doesn’t conflict with appointments or getting ready.  Earlier in the week the group had a few members looking at the new decorations and prepping what they could. Most of the decorations got done, but the group is planning/thinking of getting more so the space will look more full. 

By: Garrett Jacobs

The 2026 national championship game took place on April 6, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana.The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball played against the UConn Huskies men's basketball and won the game 69–63.

Michigan didn’t completely dominate the game, but they played really strong defense and made important free throws near the end which helped them secure the win. The best player in the game, Elliot Cadeau from Michigan scored 19 points and was named Most Outstanding Player.  UConn also played well and kept the game close for most of the time, but they couldn’t keep up in the final minutes.  This win was a big deal for Michigan since it was their first national championship since 1989, making it an important moment in the team’s history.

The presenter for the June 7, 2026 Tony Awards has been confirmed. The three-time Grammy Award winner Pink will host the ceremony at Radio City Music Hall.

The announcement came on April 9 from an official statement from Pink herself. “It is the honor of an entire lifetime to host a night celebrating the literal hardest-working people in showbiz. Broadway has shaped my life and how I put my shows together,” said the singer in her social media announcement. 

The presidents of the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League, Heather Hitchens and Jason Laks, said of the choice, “Over the course of her extraordinary career, Pink has built one of the most passionate and enduring fan communities in the history of popular music, giving her a unique ability to bring even more people into this growing family.”

The announcement came as a bit of a shock to the general public, considering that Pink has never performed in a Broadway show, though some of her music has been incorporated into Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Last year, the Tony Award winning actress Cynthia Erivo was the host of the ceremony,  leading many to believe another theatre performer would host.

As the Tony Awards near, speculation has arisen over potential nominees and winners. Nominees won't be announced until May 5 and some big names have been listed as contenders for the awards. Lea Michelle, Aaron Tvevit, Kristin Chenoweth, Frankie Grande, and Jessica Vosk are some of the names eligible for Tonys.