Is Donald Trump Combating the CoronaVirus Effectively?

By: Andrea Stauffer

Staff Writer 

   No one could have predicted that COVID-19 had the power to turn into a global pandemic. From January to April, Donald Trump’s opinion on the Coronavirus has shifted dramatically, leaving many wondering that if he took necessary precautions sooner, more people would be alive. Considering this global pandemic is a first for everyone, it was difficult to understand how detrimental it was going to be to the United States. Of course, there were plenty of mistakes made, and many decisions that should have been put into action sooner, however, Trump has actively been listening to experts and advisors when making decisions that will impact the nation greatly. 

   It’s easy to scrutinize the president when looking at the timeline. Trump constantly downplayed the virus even after closing US borders to certain countries. Up until March, Trump cited the country was in great shape, and that the common flu was worse. It was not until March 13 that Trump addressed the severity of the situation and declared a national emergency. 

   Looking past that, Trump has also made many correct decisions when trying to combat this crisis. Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to produce masks and ventilators for hospitals. Trump also allowed Doctors to practice in different states which is a small relief to our medics. 

   The United States must continue to move forward and focus on what each person can do to stay safe and prevent the spread of this virus. Remember to social distance and stay positive for more information on COVID-19 visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Spring Break Packing List: COVID-19 Edition

By Sarah Kelly

Staff Writer

During this time of year, many people from all over go on their “spring break” trips. Many of those people usually head south to the beach, while others go elsewhere, but not this year. COVID-19 is to thank for that. So are you wondering what to pack while you visit your living room, dining room and if you are brave enough, the grocery store? Do not worry, I have you covered for all of your spring break cleaning essentials.
To start, everyone needs to make sure they are stocked up on toilet paper. Apparently when a pandemic breaks out, the first thing every one buys from every store across America should be toilet paper. Others may disagree, but just read the news and you will see everyone freaking out about toilet paper. Crazy I know.
Second and possibly one of the more important cleaning essentials you will need is hand sanitizer, which if you have been reading the news stores are also out of that. Stores being out of hand sanitizer makes more sense than toilet paper, but I guess everyone has their needs.
Before going out to get any of these products, make sure you are wearing a face mask of any type. Carpenter, nurse, ski, painter, ninja mask, seriously any mask that you could get your hands on will do the job keeping out as many germs as possible.
Lysol and Clorox wipes have also been selling out of almost every grocery store and they are even hard to find online most places. If you absolutely have to go out in public, make sure to take cleaning wipes with you and also spray your body down after entering your house.
If you are anything like me, you are a bit sad that your spring break trip was also cancelled, but in order to stop this virus everyone needs to do their part and stay inside so that our summer is not cancelled either. When attending living room gatherings or very frequent trips to the kitchen for a quarantine snack, make sure to use these products before and after.
Stay safe and wash your hands!

Searching For The Perfect Summer Job

By Amanda Retherford

Staff Writer

Finding a summer job that’s the perfect fit for you and your summer schedule can be tricky. You still want to have fun during summer but also make some money. Here are some fun summer job ideas!

If you love kids and the outdoors then a summer camp counselor is a great job for you.You get to play with kids all day and set up activities and crafts for them to do all while getting paid to do it.

If you’re a good swimmer then being a lifeguard may be a good option for you. You get to sit in the sun all day and keep people safe. This job can be stressful so it may not be suitable for everyone.

Another good job if you love children is babysitting. Many parents still work over the summer and need someone to watch their kids.

A simple job anyone can do is mowing neighbors lawns. Many people don’t have the time to do it themselves and would love to hire a teen to do it for them!

A very common job amongst teens is being a waiter or a waitress and this is a good way to make some cash over the summer. Along with your paychecks you’ll also make some extra money from tips.

There are lots of job choices for teens over the summer. Some require more time and effort than others, but you make money from all of them. You can work these jobs around your summer activities and vacations and have some money to spend along the way.

Senator Bernie Sanders Drops Out of the 2020 Race

Mackenzie Lionberger 

Staff Writer 

                                                                    

   After months of debates and campaigning Senator of Vermont. Bernie Sanders, officially ended his campaign, leaving former Vice President Joe Biden a path for the Democratic nomination. 

   Biden has earned 1,196 delegates, unlike Sanders who had only earned 914 delegates, according to NBC news. “I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth, and that is that we are now some 300 delegates behind Vice President Biden, and the path toward victory is virtually impossible,” Sanders said in a Livestream. 

   The nomination seemed to be Sanders until a surprising turn of events with a huge victory for Biden in South Carolina. The former Vice President seems to be doing very well in the polls amongst Independent voters and moderate Democrats compared to Sanders whose supporters were usually Liberal-Progressives.

   Due to the Coronavirus, both Biden and Sanders had to end their rallies and campaigning around the country. The last debate with the two candidates aired on March 15th on CNN where the two debated in front of an empty audience and did not shake hands due to safety precautions. Biden and Sanders used the majority of the air time to discuss their health care plans and how they would be handling this pandemic as president. 

   Both candidates have called for various measures to handle this pandemic such as expanding employment benefits and guaranteed paid sick leave for employees. A key moment from the live debate is when Biden announced that his vice president will be a woman. “If I’m elected president, my Cabinet, my administration will look like the country, and I commit that I will, in fact, appoint, pick a woman to be vice president,” Biden said at the CNN debate in Washington, DC. 

   Biden claims that he has been communicating with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about ways to handle the crisis. Biden has also been outspoken about contacting local officials and called President Trump on how to handle the pandemic. “Vice President Biden and President Trump had a good call,” Biden spokesperson Kate Bedingfield said in a statement. “VP Biden shared several suggestions for actions the Administration can take now to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and expressed his appreciation for the spirit of the American people in meeting the challenges facing the nation.”

   Sanders has also come up with ideas on how to deal with the pandemic such as new legislation in Congress that is aimed to help workers in the U.S. during the pandemic. His bill included 6 key steps on how to deal with the crisis such as ensuring workers remain employed and paid as well, using Medicare to cover health care cost, using the Defense Production Act to manufacture protective equipment and healthcare equipment, providing food for anyone in need of it, $600 billion in aid to states and cities, and a suspension of collections of rent, mortgage payments, medical debt, and consumer debt and suspension of student loan payments through the continuation of the pandemic. 

   With less than 7 months left until the presidential election, campaigning for the presidency between Biden and Trump will be extremely difficult in the new climate Americans have adapted to due to the Caornovirus.

NCAA Cancelled March Madness Due to COVID-19

Staff Writer
Clare Bradshaw

On March 12, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments. One of these tournaments include the notorious March Madness that have left many fans distraught.
This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, the ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities. To gather the amount of fans in one gym that usually attend the March Madness tournament would be a huge mistake, but was completely cancelling the games even without fans a step too far?
As an alternative to the infamous tournament, there have been simulated predictions to what the outcome of March Madness could have been. The simulation works by typing in the URL for whatifsports.com, then selecting Division I basketball teams for a simulated contest. Lastly, you click “play game,” and the final score is there in an instant. Play-by-play, too.
Though it’s not the real thing, it’s about as good as you can get and quite accurate too. Unfortunately basketball fans across the United States will not be able to see their favorite teams compete against each other, but there is still next year. Let’s hope next year’s tournament makes up for the one we missed this year!

Young People Should Start Voting

Mackenzie Lionberger 

Staff Writer 

 

   Young people are considered to be the future of this country but yet they consistently vote in lower numbers compared to the older generations. Generation Z and Millennials make up a third of eligible voters in this country and experts say they would make a huge impact in this year’s presidential election. 

   The right to vote is a privilege in this country that a lot of nations around the world don’t have and it should be used to its fullest extent. It should be exciting to vote, especially for the first time, but for most of these young people, it seems more of a hassle. Presidential candidate and Senator of Vermont, Bernie Sanders campaign aims at a lot of young people’s issues such as student loans and according to some polls, he is the first choice to 50% of Democratic voters from the age 18-38. Surprisingly, a survey showed that Sanders won the youth vote in every state against Former Vice President Joe Biden, but lost due to underwhelming young people turnout.

   This is just another example of the low result of voter turnout among young people and the reason for low turnout doesn’t have to do with just laziness. John Della Volpe, the director of polling at Harvard Kennedy School has led surveys that show that “young people are just not as enthusiastic as many of us expected them to be”. The survey showed that many young people feel that they are not exposed to politics or political discussions at home and also are not interested in the candidates. That is why staying interested in politics and current events is so important.

   If younger people read the news and stay updated on political nominees, they could potentially find a candidate that they like and that would benefit them. It’s important to stay updated and not wait till November of 2020 to support a candidate as president. Young people should stay updated months before the actual election so they know which candidate is the best pick for them. 

   It’s also as equally important to ask questions about politics to someone older who has voting experience. The survey done at Harvard Kennedy School said most kids felt lost trying to understand how a ballot worked and where voting locations were. Young people need to feel comfortable asking these questions so they can learn more about the voting process and won’t be discouraged or intimidated by the process. 

   America is Democratic system that gives a voice to the people and everyone must vote whether its a local or state election so that their needs can be heard. The only way for needs to be met and progress to happen is by people of all ages voting.

Coachella Shifts Their Original Festival Dates

By Ariana Brown

Staff Writer

    With Coachella being one of the biggest music festivals in the United States, Coachella organizers have decided to postpone this year’s festival, which is usually held in April, due to fears regarding the Corona virus.

    The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a festival which provides all sorts of creators to showcase their work to an audience, bringing lots of music, art, and enjoyment .Coachella was originally scheduled to be held in Indio, California, over two weekends from April 9 through April 19. With the recent but rapid spread of the Corona virus throughout the United States; trips, festivals, and daily routines have been greatly affected. Coachella is now planned to be held on the weekends of October 9, and October 16. The original event featured artists such as, Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Calvin Harris, and many other artists. Organizers state that all tickets purchased for the April dates will be honored for the new dates and refunds may be issued. Considering the virus and its unpredictability, it is unsure as to what the final outcome will be with the festival, but high hopes for Coachella to take place in October.

What’s Next for Prince Harry and Megan Markle: Life After Royalty

By Samantha Wood

Online Editor in Chief 

    Since the big announcement of Prince Harry and Megan Markle planning to step down from their royal duties, things have been out of the ordinary in the british kingdom. Not only has the prince announced they will be spending every other year in North America, but they have come to the decision that they will no longer be using their royal titles. Harry will remain a prince and sixth in line of succession, but the couple will no longer be working members of Britain’s monarchy and are not referring to any “royal highness” names. They also plan on seeking a private income. 

    The couple made this difficult decision to give themselves and their son, Archie, a normal life. Before leaving England to meet with Markle and Archie in Canada, Prince Harry gave a speech to the nation. “The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges,” he said. “I’ve accepted this knowing it doesn’t change who I am or how committed I am, but I hope it helps you understand what it had come to, that I would step my family back from all I have ever known to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life.” 

 The prince’s longtime friend, Nacho Figueras, gave more insight as to why they stepped down as royals. “He has suffered a lot from the things that have happened to him. He wants to live a normal life, as normal as his life is going to be, right?” Figueras says on a ABC special, Royal Divide, “Because when you have a thousand paparazzi outside your house in Canada waiting to get a picture of your son, that’s not very normal.” 

    The prince and princess are now planning to split time between the UK and North America to raise their son in a “normal” lifestyle. However, it is expected that they will spend the majority of their time in North America. 

    The couple says they want to continue their current patronages and affiliations with charity. They also plan on being financially independent. They have reportedly “worked closely with their staff to ensure a smooth transition for each of them,” something that has been “saddening” for them and their team. 

    On their website, the couple stated that a 12-month review will be undertaken when they commence their “revised role” at the end of March. They also explained that the members of the royal family “respect and understand” their wish to live an independent and private life. 

    On March 31, it will be official that Prince Harry and Megan Markle are released from their royal duties and will be moving on to live a peaceful life and plan for their own independent future.

 

The Mourning of Legend Kobe Bryant

Jaylen Crenshaw

Staff Writer

On the evening of January 26, everyone was crushed with the news that basketball player and legend Kobe Bryant had passed. Bryant’s death was due to a helicopter crash that also took the lives of eight others.

The other passengers on the helicopter included John Altobelli, an Orange Coast College baseball coach, who was getting ready to suit up for his 28th season. John was boarded with his wife Alyssa Altobelli, and their daughter Keri, who was Gianna’s teammate at Mamba Academy. Christina Mauser, mother and coach of a K-8 private school and also passed, along with Sarah Chester, a former principal at an elementary school, and her daughter, Payton. The pilot, Ara Zobayan, also passed on the helicopter.

Kobe’s daughter, Gianna Bryant also passed away on the helicopter. The helicopter was on its way to her basketball game where Kobe coached. Gianna was 13 years old, and had a bright future ahead of her. She had the same amount of love Kobe had for the game and hoped to play for the University of Connecticut and make it to the WNBA.

Bryant, who was 41 years old, was an NBA legend who spent all of his 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a five-time NBA Champion, 18 time All Star and 1-time MVP. The legacy he left on the court won’t ever be forgotten, as he was a role model to many NBA players and people around the world. He was also the father of four beautiful daughters, one who passed with him on the helicopter. His wife, Vanessa Bryant, came out and spoke about him saying, “There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now.”

As fans mourned the death of Kobe Bryant, rumors and petitions came up saying that the NBA should change its logo in honor of him. The NBA logo has been the iconic Jerry West silhouette for 51 years now and fans want a change. West has also said that he doesn’t really want to be the logo anymore. The NBA came out and crushed those dreams, saying that they don’t really want one player to be the logo, “Generic is better.”

The things Bryant did in his lifetime won’t ever be forgotten, neither will his legacy on the court and off.

DHS Bocce Keeps up the Good Work

By Lacey Pencek

Staff Writer

With a couple of tough losses at the beginning of the season, DHS Bocce continues to strive to do their best. The purpose of the team is to allow everyone to play and enjoy their time. In order to do their best, the team continues to work together and support one another throughout the season. Their care for each other throughout the season is what brought them together and has helped them to succeed.

The Bocce team at DHS is notorious for having “the best team spirit in MOCO” according to team captain Kathryn Dollar. The team is “like one big family” and makes everyone “so happy.” The captains comprise of Katie Brungard, Kathryn Dollar, and Marli Giles. The team consists of 28 members this year. At Damascus, Bocce is run by Mrs. Mcgaffin and Coach K. When they do not have a game, they have practices that are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Throughout MCPS and over the years, there have been multiple sports programs that have given students with special needs the chance to compete, but also build friendships with others. Bocce has also given everyone a chance to do what they love and to strengthen connections with their peers. It is a great environment for kids at the school to play a varsity sport, but also have a lot of fun doing it. Let’s support the DHS Bocce team and everything they do at the school!