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First Ever 'Senior Drive Down Memory Lane'

Teachers waved, clapped, and cheered on the seniors as they participated in the first ever "Senior Drive Down Memory Lane" event. Students hopped in a car to start the Memory Lane event and drove to their elementary school before continuing on to their middle school. The event culminated with the final drive at the high school led by a firetruck with fanfare. Some students drove by themselves, but most seniors had either friends or family with them in the car. This simple, fun, and emotional event marked the end of this historical school year and the unforgettable Class of 2020. GOOD LUCK, SENIORS! (Photos by Laurie Adams)

Hempfield and Greensburg (shown above) are some of the many schools throughout Western PA handing out free meals through a "drive in" system after schools were shut down due to the coronavirus. (Photo by Sean Stipp, Tribune Review)

Positivity in Midst of Pandemic

By Natalie Smail

Copy Editor, Office Manager

In the words of Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” These days, it seems like we’re only living through the worst of times, with closures, cancellations, and COVID-19 being some of the most common words people are hearing right now. While this is not the first time the world has suffered a global pandemic, it is the first time in a modern world, and it has turned daily lives and activities on a dime.

Many people are isolated and scared, worrying about their friends and family members, while trying to keep themselves safe. For millions, it feels like the world is crumbling with the pandemic alone, let alone the impending economic crisis, and the rapid increase in unemployment that is leaving many families and individuals to suffer. While for many it is a challenge to get up and face another day, some brave and generous people have been doing what they can to bring hope back into the lives of those who need it the most.

All over the world, people are helping those in their communities. In Italy, where hospital equipment shortages were costing lives, a team of engineers and 3D-printing experts figured out how to print respirator valves to alleviate shortages. In Nebraska, a group of students made simple, but impactful “Get Well Soon” cards and sent them to people recovering from the coronavirus in quarantine.

Celebrities including Donatella Versace, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Stephen Curry, Ayesha Curry, Kristen Bell and many many others have donated millions of dollars and meals to pandemic relief efforts. Major companies have stepped up the plate with food service businesses like McDonald’s and Chick-fil-a offering meals to essential workers and those on the front lines during this crisis.

For those who want to help the community, they can donate blood, help a food bank, donate money to charities, or simply grocery shop for elderly people. Senior Sara Brooks says, “I think it’s a really great thing that people can put aside their differences and recognize that we all need to work together if things are going to get better.” People continue to show strength working toward bringing “the best of times” back to the community and the country.

Pentagon Releases UFO Videos to Public

By Jake Ballantyne

Reporter

Alien sightings and the closest thing to believable proof of extraterrestrial life has been officially released by the Pentagon. Alien sightings have been known to have their fair share of hoaxes and fake videos. While many of the past videos seem to come from unreliable sources, the Pentagon’s release of UFO videos is a game-changer. America, and the world, now actually have a strong source and credible source. Skeptics and believers alike are baffled by these videos, and the hype is fueled by the government not being able to explain what is shown. The video, taken by U.S. Navy pilots while in the air, is described as having flying objects supposedly defying the laws of physics in the air. While the Pentagon can’t explain, the public has been coming up with its own ideas and explanations.

Many say that this released footage is a huge step toward analyzing and solidifying the data on aliens. Although there is usually an earthly explanation for unidentified flying objects, the government itself has not come to a conclusion on what it may be. Junior Lily Schmadel said, “I think the videos will be explained somehow in the next few months, or even years, and hopefully it really is aliens because that would be really neat.” UFO believers are hopeful that their greatest suspicions that aliens are real will come true and that the government will continue to release more information.

While Lily Schmadel may not be looking at a real UFO, the Pentagon recently released video from U.S. Navy pilots that show flying objects that defy known physics. (Photo by Jake Ballantyne)

Researchers and scientists around the world race to discover a cure. (Photo from Google Images)

Race Against Time

By Lane Harry

Reporter

The one thing that everyone can agree on at this time is the urgency to find a way to combat Covid-19. Since the virus appeared in China, at least 4.8 million people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19 and 321,460 have died according to WHO and the CDC. In the U.S., 1.5 million people have been infected, with 91,179 deaths. In Pennsylvania, 63,056 have been infected and 4,505 have lost their lives according to the CDC. People are worried about what is to come of this and how it will continue. Senior Jared Rivard says, “I think as long as the main motivational source for researchers and scientists remains to find a cure and help humanity bounce back, and not make a profit, that the process to vaccination will go smoothly.”

Over the past few months, scientists have been rapidly screening vast global libraries of research and medicines to identify potential treatments and already have numerous clinical trials under way to test new and existing therapies. Scientists at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have announced a potential vaccine against coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Farmers Forced to Destroy Food During Quarantine

By Kelly Bane

Reporter

With restaurants, school, and businesses closing, orders for food items have been drastically altered. Even with drastically reduced orders, farms and dairies have been in a predicament because produce keeps growing and cows must be milked. Farms are being forced to dump millions of pounds of fresh food that they can’t sell. The products like milk and chicken eggs are being dumped, and fresh vegetables are being turned into mulch. Supply lines have been disrupted, but some farmers have been able to donate part of their crops to food banks, but food banks only have a certain amount of storage and refrigerators. Freshman Abby Molek lamented, “They should go into the city and give the food to homeless people.”

Changing their production, farmers have cut down on employees, so that employees won’t get too close to one another. This has forced some farmers to try to slow down their production of food, like the bacon industry. Others like pork producers are having more trouble doing so. It is harder to try and slow down their food production because it's a nine-month process, and one cannot stop piglets from being born every day. Though groups have pressed the Trump administration for action, it is a process that takes time. Meanwhile, farmers are planting the same crops again, hoping that the economy will be back up when the crops are ready to harvest.

This pile of discarded zucchini and squash is a small example of the immense waste of food happening because of Covid-19

lockdown restrictions to restaurants and small businesses. (Photo by Google Images)

Westmoreland County businesses struggle as the state requires "non-essential" businesses to cope with restrictions. (Photo by KDKA)

Small Businesses Struggle through Coronavirus Restrictions

By Carmen DeFabo

Reporter

According to CNBC, 7.5 million businesses across the country are at risk of closing for good due to the stability they’ve lost throughout the coronavirus outbreak. This is despite the fact that the federal government has designed a $349 billion program called the CARES act which has parts to it that are designed to help small businesses. According to pachamber.org, paycheck protection is part of the plan. This was created to provide small businesses with the resources they need to pay their essential employees and help make it possible for them to bring more workers in if needed. With that said, workers would benefit by being able to make some income. If it is more crucial that businesses use this money to make payments on mortgages or utilities, it can be used for that as well.

Even though the act was put into effect, many business owners are still concerned. They fear that the money for such a program will run out. They are also concerned that they will not be able to open at full capacity for many more months. Some businesses have received relief but are still unable to bring back additional workers. This is because the new form their business has taken may not require more workers or the gap between income and expenses is still too large. In addition to owners, all workers young and old are impacted in some way by these challenges. Sophomore Shanya Coshey, who works for a local restaurant, says, “My workplace has been operating minimally in compliance with the regulations, but I was cut from the schedule. So, I was stuck at home.” Businesses and workers will continue to struggle until the state allows them to reopen at full capacity.

Protests to End Coronavirus Lockdown

By Hannah Haywood

Reporter

In light of the unprecedented national coronavirus lockdown, anti-lockdown protests have been springing up in numerous states. Mainly conservative and pro-Trump groups as well as business owners and residents have been rallying to voice their desire to re-open the United States economy. In Colorado, protesters created a line of cars decorated with signs and patriotic material near a hospital. Armed anti-lockdown protesters marched into Michigan's capitol building. Cars attempted to gridlock St. Paul Minnesota. Beaches in California closed after pictures of hoards of protesters surfaced. Here, in Pennsylvania, cars circled around the capitol in Harrisburg, demanding the reopening of the state. Many protests nationwide have remained mostly nonviolent, but they do not seem to be following social distancing protocol.

Protesters are demanding the reopening of small businesses, restaurants, sporting events, personal services, and more. Some governors have made compromises with the people to begin the reopening process. With the rise of these protests, other counter-protests have surfaced on social media from citizens and some healthcare professionals who are showing concern that they are doing more harm than good. Sophomore Brianna Wassel says, “Honestly, protesting is stupid because yeah, it sucks being stuck at home, but it’s to keep us safe and to prevent it from spreading.” No matter how this pans out, it’ll be interesting to see how the country and the world adjusts to the new normal.

All across the country, people began to protest in an attempt to lift the U.S. lockdown restrictions including Pittsburghers who disagree with Governor Tom Wolfe. (Photo from triblive.com)

COVID-19 Ruptures the Economy

By Ethan Duffy

Reporter

“Car sales drop by 92%, restaurant sales drop by 95%, the U.S. economy could shrink by 24% in the second quarter of 2020, more than twice as much as any decline ever recorded.” These dire statistics were stated by Goldman Sachs, and the numbers continue to frighten Americans. Over 30 million people have lost their jobs and many businesses have gone under because of the quarantine restrictions. The last three months have had a larger impact on the economy than the last three decades combined.

The stock market has endured exponentially larger recessions than the stock market crash of 1929. There are numerous examples of how COVID-19 has affected the world, but none more prevalent than the economy. The crisis that Americans and the world have been presented with is unprecedented and uncertainty continues to evolve every day.

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