Article By: Marley Forrester
Get ready, Pioneers… Student Body Vice President and leader of all things homecoming, Peyton Cline is bringing new ideas to life with the help of student council as well as their new advisor, Ms. Brittany Wood. “I’ve been working on the production of hoco since march,” says Cline. “Students should look forward to our new spirit days, tailgating, and of course the dance because we’re expecting a huge turnout.” SUPERNOVA Student Council is attempting to steer away from romantic homecoming themes such as last year’s Parisian theme or the previous year’s “To The Moon and Back” with a glow in the dark “Supernova.” The term supernova refers to the explosion of a star which has reached the end of its life. Supernovae are “the largest explosion that takes place in space,” according to NASA. WE’VE GOT SPIRIT This year a new system will be used to measure which class has the most spirit, called spirit points! Spirit points will be earned by dressing up for America Monday, Twin Tuesday, Meme Day on Wednesday, Throwback Thursday, and Friday’s class day. Whichever class has the most spirit points will be awarded a mystery prize. SHOW OUT In addition to participation in spirit days, students will be allowed many opportunities to earn further points throughout the week by activities such as attending after school events. These events include Watauga’s first ever drive in movie on Monday, Powder Puff the following day, King of the Court Thursday, and of course the new and improved homecoming tailgate.
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Article By: Isacc Ewers
Botswana, home to the largest number of elephants in the world, has recently been reported to be the location of the death of 87 elephants at the hands of poachers. This news comes a few months after the government recently decided to reverse a law that was aimed at preventing poaching through armed anti-poaching units. Despite these findings, Botswana’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks responded to these claims by labeling them as false. Elephants Without Borders (EWB) reported on September 4th details surrounding the death of 87 elephants near the Okavango Delta Wildlife Sanctuary. A head director , Mike Chase, of EWB explained that they discovered the first traces of elephant deaths through aerial flights over the area outside of the wildlife sanctuary. Through both eyewitnesses and physical data of GPS locations of each dead elephant, they presented their finding to the public. Much of the public has looked for a possible reason behind the mass killings, and some point to Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s recent decision to reverse a law set in place by previous administrations that fund an armed anti-poaching unit of soldiers. This was put into effect in the late 1980’s, and in 2014 was changed to implement a more strict shoot-to-kill policy for any poachers that were found hunting protected game. In May of this year, Mokgweetsi Masisi took away the firearms to any anti-poaching units, leaving less consequences for anyone caught poaching. While critics say this decision makes poaching more likely, the Botswana government defends the decision. EWB is responsible for the census of elephants in Botswana every 4 years. They operate under government support, and the census of 2014 found only 9 elephants were reportedly killed by poaching, a stark contrast to the 87 already found in 2018. However, the Botswana government recently released formal statements striking down the EWB’s claims, instead citing “At no point in the last months or recently were 87 or 90 elephants killed in one incident in any place in Botswana.” On top of this, they explained that many of the elephants were “...not poached but rather died from natural causes and retaliatory killings as a result of human and wildlife conflicts.” Their argument against the reports of 87 elephants killed by poaching claims that many of the deaths actually came from natural causes, such as old age or attacks from other animals. After the response from the Botswana government, Mike Chase released a statement to reporters, saying “I am an objective scientist, with no political agenda. I am sad that our government has responded in this way.” Elephants Without Borders stands by its original findings. Article By: Rachel Amburose
On August 25, 2018, around 4:28 MST, an influential American powerhouse and decorated veteran took his last breath, leaving behind a legacy that is guaranteed to be etched in history books forever. This man is John McCain, a distinguished political figure and dauntless prisoner of war. McCain, who was pushing to age 82, died from a rare and deadly brain cancer called glioblastoma after he and his family publicized his decision to cease treatment. Although he was absent from the Senate this year, McCain has been an active participant in politics and a household name with a plethora of terms in both the Senate and House of Representatives. His extraordinary career commenced in 1954 when he was accepted into the Naval Academy and trained to become the infamous Lieutenant Commander John McCain III. The year 1967 marked a transformative moment in his life as he was captured by the Vietnamese during Operation Rolling Thunder and imprisoned for a whopping five years until his release in 1973. After prolonged torture, abuse, and neglect that POWs were subjected to, McCain suffered multiple wartime injuries, including his inability to raise his arms over his head. With his death making international headlines, a monument that celebrates McCain’s captivity in Vietnam has been converted into a tribute where locals honor his life with flowers and other memorabilia. John McCain was a man inspired by the notion that peace could be achieved at all costs and thus, embarked on a journey to politics’ grandest stages in the Congress. Starting in 1982, McCain campaigned for Arizona’s seat in the House of Representatives and won two terms. McCain’s charisma and loyalty to the American people garnered tremendous support during elections which paved his way to the Senate in 1986, where he was reelected five times. In 2000, McCain decided to try his luck for the presidency but lost the Republican Primary to George W. Bush. During 2008, McCain once again campaigned, and although he won against his GOP candidates, he fell short to the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama. Unlike current politicians who promote slander, McCain has always demonstrated respect for opposing parties. One memorable example is when a woman who claimed that she “cannot trust Obama...because he’s an Arab”, McCain refused, saying, ”He’s a decent, family man citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with.” McCain’s legacy has always been set in stone, and many news sources distinguish his character as a maverick: someone who is unorthodox and a nonconformist. He earned this reputation due to his unpredictability because although he belongs to the Republican party, he has exhibited bipartisanship and accepted his Democrat peers’ perspective. For example, McCain voted against the Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act, an act which was developed by fellow Republican Congressmen to end affordable healthcare. His condemnation of President Trump has also generated opposition from other Conservatives. Once, Trump publicly announced, “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” John McCain may not have everyone’s support regarding his political views, but the world acknowledges that his death was a loss to the American government and people. |