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Winter is Coming
Winter is Coming
By: Haylee Downing
Just last week, we experienced a large amount of snow, making the roads as slick as ever. Towns in Northern Illinois faced between 6-10 inches.
Freeport, a city up north near Rockford, actually reached 12 inches of snow. Here are some additional cities that received a ton due to the blizzard, as reported by WROK Radio:
Rockford: 8-9 inches
Chicago: 6.9 inches
Evanston: 8 inches
Aurora: 7 inches
Barrington Hills: 11.1 inches
Rolling Meadows: 10.8 inches
Dekalb: 8.8 inches
Woodstock: 9.8 inches
Orion really only received about 3 inches of snow, but the icy roads made it seem like the storm came down hard on us. It was a wonderful end to November, wouldn’t you agree?
Furthermore, we have started December with nasty temperature drops. In October, we were still enjoying some 70 degree weather days, not even thinking about the cold. November was chilly, but not the worst it could have been. On Thursday, December 4th, we reached the all-time low for the year. The website localconditions.com provides information about the weather from the past 30 days. For December 4th, it showed that at 6am the temperature dropped down to -1 degrees with it feeling like -13. Yuck!
I don’t know about you, but I’m really missing the warm weather. Winter is always cold, but Mother Nature is slapping us right in the face this year. Between the cold temps., blizzards, and immense snowfall, we’re only being warned that winter is in fact on its way.
To see the entire weather report from that last 30 days, here is the link: https://www.localconditions.com/weather-orion-illinois/61273/past.php
Top Christmas Gifts
By: Kadence Hammer
With Christmas being a couple weeks away and you are still looking to fill out your wishlist, there are many popular gifts that you can ask for during this holiday season. One of the top things that are asked for is gift cards. Whether you are getting food, or going to a clothing store, you are basically getting whatever you want from a store for free. If you are looking for an electronic device; Ipads, Xboxes, PS5, and even computers are still some of the top things you can put. Going along with that you can also ask for accessories for these devices such as cases, games, keyboards, and gift cards to buy in-game items. Instant Cameras are also a fun thing to add because they automatically print out the pictures you take. They can be hung up or even just saved in a collectionbook. Lastly, for stocking stuffers, you can ask for your favorite candy, or even add some chapstick and lotion in there as well. Happy holidays!
Best Christmas Movies
By: Allyssa Peterson
Its starting to get cold and snowy outside more, so what better time is there to sit on the couch and watch Christmas movies. Some of the most popular Christmas movies are How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf, Christmas Vacation, and Home Alone. There are many different types of Christmas movies depending on what movie genres you prefer. Christmas movies come out as comedy, romance, and family friendly. The top three comedy are Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, and Home Alone. The top 3 romance movies are The Holiday, Love Actually, and When Harry Met Sally. The top three family christmas movies are Home Alone, Elf, and, The Polar Express. There are so many different types of Christmas Movies that everyone can enjoy, so if you feel like you don't want to do anything on a gloomy day you can always watch a Christmas movie on the couch with a nice hot chocolate and blanket.
The Trial of Luigi Mangione Begins
By: Andan Nguyen
The multi-day trial of Luigi Mangione officially began on Monday, December 1st. For those who don’t remember, last year on December 4th, 2024; Luigi Mangione was accused of assassinating the insurance CEO, Brian Thompson. Brian Thompson is the CEO of United Healthcare, one of the most controversial health insurance companies.
Luigi Mangione is on trial for several charges from New York, Pennsylvania, and the federal level.
The state of Pennsylvania, where he was first arrested, pressed 4 charges against him. Pennsylvania had the least amount of charges against him. The charges from Pennsylvania include: possession of a firearm without a license, forgery, false identification, and possessing instruments of a crime.
The state of New York, where the murder occurred, pressed 11 charges against Luigi Mangione. It is quite a long list which includes 1st degree murder, 2nd degree murder, 2nd degree murder as a crime of terrorism, and 2 counts of 2nd degree weapon possession.
Lastly, on the federal level he was charged with 4 crimes. They're federal crimes because he crossed state lines and tracked people down. His crimes included 2 counts of stalking. The other 2 charges are murder by use of firearm and a general firearms offense.
The trial started off on Monday with the events that transpired during Luigi's arrest at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania. First they had listened to the initial 911 call and after they watched body camera footage that was used in the opening moments of the 1st day. The video showed the officers approaching the McDonald’s and confronting the restaurant. The police had been tipped off by the manager of the McDonald’s location.
Soon after, first statements from the arresting officer, Joseph Deltwiler, were made. He talked about his experience in the arrest, starting with the first encounter where Luigi gave him the false name, Mark Rasario. He also stated that when he had frisked him, they had discovered a knife on his person.
On Tuesday, the 2nd day of the trial, the prosecution had brought in physical evidence against Mr. Mangione. The evidence they presented includes confiscated things in his backpack such as a diary that contains writings of his hatreds of CEOs and insurance companies. They also presented the gun, silencer, and magazine allegedly used in the murder of Brian Thompson.
On Thursday the 3rd day of his trial, several officers and prison guards made statements on Luigi Mangione's arrest, character, and their experiences with Mr. Mangione. A prison guard who monitored him frequently said that at times he could be "agitated" and how he once mentioned a 3D printed gun. After the statements, prosecution brought forward his fake IDs and spent a while highlighting suspicious items within Luigi’s backpack such as several electronic devices and re-examinations of the alleged weapon that matched the one used at the scene of the crime. Afterward, the courtroom was adjourned and the next day of the case has yet to be announced or known by the public.
Keep an eye out for future articles as I plan on reporting about the future hearings, days, and eventual verdict of this case as this has become one of the most well known trials in the modern public eye.
Finals Season Tips
By: Haley Ruser
With finals season approaching, there is no doubt that students are stressed. Preparing for final exams while maintaining relationships and participating in extracurriculars can be difficult to manage. However, practicing good time management and utilizing effective study methods could help you to feel more prepared in a shorter period of time. Here are some effective methods:
Pomodoro Study Method
The Pomodoro technique breaks down study sessions into 25-minute intervals with a 5-minute break in between. This process is flexible because it allows you to alter your study sessions into longer periods of time if needed, ensuring you stay focused throughout the entire time.
Feynman Technique
Similarly to active recall, the Feynman technique that follows a process where the student takes time to study or read about a topic. Afterwards, they explain the topic aloud to themselves or a peer to test their understanding of the information.
Leitner System
The Leitner system uses flashcards to determine how well a student understands each topic or term. Each day when the flashcards are reviewed, the terms are separated into 3 categories: hard, medium, and easy. Easy terms should be answered correctly each time and reviewed not as much, medium terms should be reviewed often, and hard terms should be reviewed every day. This makes it easier to focus your time on topics that are harder to understand.
Ultimately, forming and sticking to a study routine will help you conquer your finals fears. Whether it’s lighting a candle or turning on your favorite show, incorporating activities you love into your study sessions will encourage you to put in the effort to be successful.
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