Category Archives: News

News

Drug and nicotine use among teens

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By: Olivia Miller

Drug use among teens has been a growing issue for decades. It’s no secret that teenagers now more than ever, have easy access to these dangerous substances. From the years 2000-2017 the number of teenagers who overdosed on drugs nearly quadrupled. In 2019 almost 5000 teens died from a reported drug overdose, and surprisingly opioids make up for about 4/5ths of those deaths.

Cannabis is the most commonly used drug among teens. Even though there aren’t any reports of overdoses due to marijuana, there are serious side effects and long term damage that can occur from regular use. According to the CDC, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) “[T]he teen brain is actively developing and often will not be fully developed until the mid 20s”. Marijuana use during this period may harm the developing teen brain. Some effects from continuous marijuana use during adolescence include: “difficulty thinking and problem solving, problems with memory and learning, impaired coordination, and difficulty maintaining attention”. Also, teens who smoke marijuana on a regular basis can have an increased risk of mental health issues.

Although marijuana is the most commonly used drug among teens, there is a new and increasingly popular issue among adolescents. Nicotine. Cigarette use has declined by 73% from 1990-2017. Although these numbers are exciting and something to celebrate, nicotine has taken a new form in E-cigarettes. The act commonly known as vaping has become very popular among teens. The CDC reports that a shocking 21% of high schoolers vape. What makes vaping so dangerous is that it has not been around long enough for doctors and experts to know the long term effects. It is also more difficult to identify exactly what chemicals you’re putting into your body when you vape. Even though you have to be 18 or even 21 in some states to purchase an E-cigarette, young teens still find a way to acquire them. This makes vaping even more dangerous because people who sell to teens can lace the devices with other very harmful drugs and they wouldn’t even know it.

Although vaping statistics have declined in the past few years, nicotine still finds ways to affect our youth in one way or another. As far as drugs, there’s something new every year and no matter what, teens always are eager to hop on the trend, no matter how dangerous. That is why teens need to be careful and watch what they put into their body’s because it can be more harmful than you think.

Editorials/Student Voice, National

What’s happening with Pipeline 3?

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By: Sarah VonBerge

Line 3 has been a pipeline that’s been running since the 1960s, when it was originally built. It was originally a pipeline that stretched 282 miles from Alberta, Canada to Wisconsin, United States of America. Overtime, the pipeline has eroded and once carried about 760,000 barrels of oil per day but now only carries about half of that amount.

Enbridge, the company who is building the pipeline, said that it would be cheaper to just completely make a new line instead of repairing the old one. The new Line 3 is expected to go 330 miles instead of only 282 because it is now being built around the Minnesota Ojibwe Leech Lake Reservation, which adds about 50 miles. According to Reutuers.com, as of September 1, 2021, Enbridge is planning on being able to transport 620,000 barrels of oil per day beginning October 1.

There are conflicting thoughts on whether a new pipeline is a good idea. Some agree with it and others do not; on one hand, it will bring more oil and on the other it could bring even more climate change than the world is already facing.

Some agree with the new pipeline, saying that it will make getting oil from place to place very easy. Pipelines are safer for transporting oil than trucks or trains, after all. The rebuilding of Line 3 is expected to make 4,200 jobs in the 2 years of construction, although it will only make about 20 permanent jobs.

All over Minnesota, people are constantly fixing roads and other power utilities, so many just see this new Line 3 as the same thing. Even though we have a limited supply of oil and they’re looking at better ways to use power, the demand is still high and oil means money.

Enbridge has already spent $100 million on safety measures for both the workers and the environment. The towns and cities that have been around the building of the pipeline are currently booming. The line is bringing more people into their hotels, restaurants, and stores, which is bringing in more money for them. In the end, the new Line 3 is expected to boost the economy by $2 billion.

Many are concerned about how this new line will affect the environment. The USA’s biggest inland oil spill came from Line 3 in 1993 and split 1,700,000 gallons of crude oil into the Prairie River in Grand Rapids, MN. Even 30 years later, the river hasn’t completely recovered. Many are worried it will happen again in multiple places but especially in the Mississippi River, as it crosses it twice.

The new Line 3 will bring more carbon-intensive oil for decades to come and blocking Line 3 instead of rebuilding it will help stop/limit emissions. Our earth is suffering and many are upset that we aren’t doing anything to help, but instead doing things that will only make it worse.

One of the biggest concerns about Line 3 is how it will affect indigenous people. Even though it will go around the Leech Lake Reservation, there is still a chance of a spill which will disturb their ways of life. If oil spills into their lakes, rivers, or wild rice fields, it will greatly affect their food supply. Because they are so dependent on the environment, they, and others, are very worried about how this new line will affect them; not only while it’s being built, but also in the future.

Not only are they worried about their environment around them, they are also worried for the women. Native women are going missing in extreme numbers and many have never been found. In June, state locals arrested 6 men involved in sex trafficking in Beltrami County. 2 men who were arrested were working on Line 3. At the beginning of this year, another 2 Line 3 workers were arrested in Itasca county for the same thing.

Line 3 is very dangerous, not only to the environment, but to people. Enbridge swears that they will make sure that everyone who interacts with line 3 in any way will stay safe and protected but there’s really no way to do that. No amount of money will guarantee people won’t go missing or that the environment will get healthier. There may be good news and thoughts on the other side as well, but neither out weigh each other.

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Local

Bloomington mosque bomber sentenced to 53 years in prison.

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By: Citlaly Castillo-Thoren

The person who bombed the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center in 2017 has now been charged in federal court. According to the Department of Justice, the charges where: “Intentionally defacing, damaging and destroying religious property because of the religious character of that property, intentionally obstructing and attempting to obstruct, by force and the threat of force, the free exercise of religious beliefs, conspiracy to commit federal felonies by means of fire and explosives, carrying and using a destructive device during and in relation to crimes of violence, and possession of an unregistered destructive device.”

The suspect was initially charged under the name Michel Hari, but they have since came out as transgender and her name is now Emily Clair Hari.

She was the leader of an anti-government militia from Illinois called the “White Rabbits”. She drove from Clarence, Illinois, to the mosque in Bloomington, Minnesota, in a rented pickup truck. She had strong anti Muslim beliefs and she attacked the mosque so the Muslims would feel like they’re not wanted in America.

Also, her federal defender is trying to say the attack was because of gender euphoria which caused her to have inner conflicts controlling her actions.

Emily was brought to trial and convicted as a man.

She arrived in Bloomington early on the morning of August 5, 2017, and went to the mosque and threw a pipe bomb through a window where it exploded. There were people praying in a room a couple rooms down. 12 people were hurt but there were no fatalities. On one of the days of the trial, they had the people affected by the bombing give testimony about how it affected them. 

Emily Claire Hari did not plead guilty, but was found guilty and sentenced to 53 years in prison.

COVID-19, Editorials/Student Voice, School Life

How has COVID-19 impacted students across Saint Paul?

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By: Musab Mohamud

While COVID-19 has been sweeping across the globe, schools, religious sites, and sports venues have been shut down. Even that is an understatement, as it seems the world has been put on hold by the fear of this dangerous virus.

Saint Paul Public Schools were postponed in early March of 2020, which according to many students feels like it was many years ago. A quote taken from one student reads, “It feels like we’ve been gone for a lot longer than 18 months. I had to find other ways to communicate with my friends because I couldn’t meet with them in the early months of lockdown.”

Another common theme with the students I interviewed was their fear of getting sick without prior knowledge of the virus. During the first spike of COVID many doctors and health officials were still scrambling to find the cause and nature of the virus. You can only imagine what kind of effect this would have upon an uninformed student base.

Many students across the district suffered lower grades during asynchronous and online school. The principal of Highland Park Senior High had to implement methods of credit recovery, which would ensure every student could receive their credits. One quote that pertains to this subject is: “I really had trouble keeping up with the work we received at the end of freshman year because I had no face-to-face connection with my teacher.” This is a sentiment shared by many students across the school. While online school made things a great deal easier, many students still struggled without a school presence.

Even now, during In-person classes, people are still in resentment of the mask rule and would love to see their friends’ faces. With many different perspectives upon the impact that COVID had upon students, a common answer is a resounding negative impression about it.

Editorials/Student Voice, National

New Texas law restricting womens’ rights

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On September 1, 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abort signed a law that would ban Texans from having an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. He said, “Our creator endowed us with the right to life, and yet millions of children lose their right to life every year because of abortion. In Texas, we work to save those lives.”

The six-week limit is before some women are even aware they are pregnant. The law also allows private citizens to sue doctors who provide abortions to women, and women who get an abortion. Despite that it is a constitutional right for women to have an abortion, the Supreme Court refused to block the abortion law; the vote was a 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. joining the liberals.

People for abortion have promised to challenge the new law, they have considered this law one of the most extreme nationwide since the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. The Roe v. Wade decision is a 1973 law that the Supreme Court agreed on to protect the rights of a pregnant woman to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.

The President said the Texas abortion law is “[A]lmost un-American.” He specifically pointed out the fact that private citizens get to sue any doctor who helps a woman get an abortion. He also said that “[T]he most pernicious thing about the Texas law, it sort of creates a vigilante system.”

After the Supreme Court’s decision on the law, he said it was an “[U]nprecedented assault on a woman’s constitutional rights under Roe v. Wade, which has been the law of the land for almost fifty years.”

Young people have used social media to also protest against this law, by sharing short videos and guides on how to flood the Texas Right to Life website with misinformation, memes, and pranks.

I talked to some of my peers at school about what they have heard about the new Texas law, and this is what they had to say:

“I heard that private citizens can sue people who get an abortion and the doctors who give the abortion.”

“I’ve heard if you get an abortion after the six weeks limit, the father of the child can sue the mother

“I’ve heard a lot of people are angry about it and I know that it is a very controversial subject so a large sum of people will be mad either way. I don’t think many other states will do the same just because of the potential riots or protests it may cause.” 

“I heard that a lot of people are saying it’s unconstitutional.”

“I’ve heard that Texas is banning abortions after a woman is six weeks along, and the doctors who perform abortions in Texas can be sent to jail. Also, that if someone knows of someone who went out of state or somehow got an abortion, they can report it, and sue anyone who aided the abortion.”

Overall, I would say that the high school students I talked to were aware of the new law, and seemed informed about it. They also seemed to have opinions that were in line with other young people across the country.

For more information please visit:

COVID-19

What happened at the YouTube town hall meeting concerning the COVID-19 vaccine

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By: Hayat Osman

On May 24th, the President, Joe Biden, and Dr. Fauci, held a virtual town hall. The town hall meeting was held on YouTube. The town hall was with YouTube stars: Manny Mua, Brave Wilderness, and Jackie Aina. Joe Biden and Dr. Fauci addressed the concerns, about the COVID-19 vaccinations, brought to them by the YouTube stars.

With the help of the social media platform YouTube, the President, Joe Biden, was able to reach the target audience of those who are eligible to receive the vaccine, but were hesitant to take it. Biden used the chance to have trusted influencers help alleviate the concerns about the COVID-19 vaccinations.

In the first interview, Manny Mua asked Biden about rumors surrounding requirements for vaccine passports to travel to, or to go to, concerts. Biden responded saying “Federally, we are not going to mandate, and we don’t keep records, Federally, of people who have gotten the vaccine”. He also stated that rumors of vaccine passports would “Just play into paranoia in some people, in particular young people”.

To Peterson and Vins, who run the Brave Wilderness channel on YouTube, Biden talked of those who got the vaccine being able to travel with masks. Dr. Fauci added that “The gateway to safe travel is to be vaccinated”.

To Aina, YouTube beauty guru, who asked if the vaccines were safe and wanted to know about the science behind the vaccinations, Dr. Fauci emphasized the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Fauci claimed that the science that went into the vaccine was absolutely pristine.

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Movies/TV/Theaters, Science/Nature

Hollywood science: Fact or fiction

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By: Grace Helmke

Hollywood has allowed us to visit incredible places and experience thrilling adventures filled with death-defying jumps, and heart-wrenching love stories. It has allowed science to come alive in a way that’s never before been seen. It has led us through stories of time travel, cloning, and so much more.

However, sometimes these films have a little more fiction than fact. Today, we are going to explore the science behind some famous TV shows and movies, and determine whether or not they are fact or fiction. 

‘Jurassic Park’ 

‘Jurassic Park’ centers around the idea that one one could create dinosaurs from blood in a mosquito, encased in amber, and preserved for millions of years.

This is simply false.

Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist, said that the likelihood of cloning a dinosaur is close to impossible. In order to make this happen, you would need the whole genome. However, no one has ever found dinosaur DNA. So, it’s incredibly unlikely that a T-Rex could get loose and wreak havoc in the future. 

‘Star Trek’ 

A major part of the show was the crew’s ability to travel at the speed of light. They called this warp speed. Warp speed essentially distorted the fabric of spacetime, allowing the crew to travel superluminally, or faster than the speed of light.

‘Back to the Future’

This classic 80s film features the creation of the DeLorean, a time travel machine.

‘Contact’

This film features a lot of fictional science and inaccuracies. It was praised for its realistic depiction of the search for extraterrestrial life.

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World

The reason for social unrest in Colombia

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By: Hayat Osman

The demonstrations in Colombia began after the President, Iván Duque, announced a pandemic related tax reform on April 28, 2021. The reason behind the reform was because the government needed to raise
about $6.85 billion to fix the economic imbalance of the country. People quickly took to the streets to voice their outrage to the government. Unions and politicians were angry about the proposal.

Although the protests held in Colombia have only been ongoing for about 3 weeks, according to Colombia’s human rights officials, at least 42 people have died. Thousands have been injured, and many are believed to be missing, as increased violence and unrest spreads across the nation.

Unions who organized the protests, said the tax reform would disproportionately affect the middle class and poorest citizens, who have already been struggling due to the pandemic. Several protests, and a strike led by different organizations, were successful. After 4 days of protesting in large cities, the president decided to cancel the tax plan, and seek a new plan through a consensus.

According to NBCNews.com, researchers have pointed out that the tax reform was a catalyst for continued social unrest. Even though President Iván has withdrawn the tax plan, demonstrations continue being fueled by a mix of undelivered promises, inequality, violence, the mismanagement of the pandemic, and excessive force used by police. As violence increases, organizations are trying to negotiate terms with the government.

During the past few weeks, multiple videos of police abusing their authority over citizens have surfaced on social media. Both the UN, and European Union, have warned about the excessive use of force by the police. Despite the dangers, many protesters continue to take to the streets because of their disagreement with government policies.

The injustices that police have inflicted these past few weeks upon protesters in Colombia is unlawful. Protesters have asked for international attention. Let’s take the time to listen to the concerns of Colombians, and help them get the justice they deserve. Michel Adolfo Torres Carmona, a protester from Cali, Colombia has said, “There are many missing people. But we must continue the fight. The world must know what they are doing to us.”

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Science/Nature

Ocean colonization 

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By: Grace Helmke 

We live in a society based upon development. We develop our minds through education, our beings through spirituality and religion, and our cities through unusual thinking. It is no surprise that unorthodox ideas should emerge, especially when we are faced with issues of increasing population.

Ocean colonization has been proposed as a possible solution to modern issues such as overpopulation and climate change. It is believed to be a sustainable development which could aid in our world’s healing process. But upon looking closer, is this really the case? 

Ocean colonization is the theory of extending society to the water. Settlements would be created either as floating platforms, or as underwear habitats. There is the potential for practically anything in these habitats; buildings could be created atop a floating platform, cattle could be raised, a city could be built on the sea floor with a lid to create atmosphere, buildings could be built with their own systems of oxygen, bubbles suspended in the ocean could be created. Almost anything is possible.

The most popular design plan, and at this point in time most feasible, is the floating structure. The Seasteading Institute is a non-profit think tank promoting the creation of floating ocean cities. They have already finished their crowdfunding campaign and have created the company Blue Frontiers, who actually construct the floating islands.

These platforms are made of reinforced concrete that will last longer than a century. The design was meant to be flexible, so that they can be rearranged to fit the needs of its citizens. On top of these platforms, bungalow villas will be created, accommodating around 2000 residents. But, because of the design’s flexibility, platforms can be added to accommodate for the growing population.

One of the best regions to implement ocean colonies is the Atlantic Ocean, near the equator. Tsunamis and earthquakes are incredibly rare here, therefore destruction due to natural disasters would be incredibly rare. The water is also very temperate compared to other oceans. This would be appealing because it could create a tourist industry for those seeking a vacation destination or a place of work. 

Another argument which promotes ocean colonization is the pursuit of science. Creating structures in the middle of the ocean would allow scientists to further explore the mystery that is our ocean. It would also force us to come up with long term solutions to water pressure and corrosion.

While this sounds like a great idea, it is only that in theory.

The development of structures in aquatic environments actually disrupts marine ecosystems and destroys the natural environment. The construction process of many of these design plans would involve the demolition of part of the ocean floor. This would destroy vital ecosystems such as coral reefs and kelp forests, which are vital in slowing down the rise in carbon dioxide. These ecosystems are legitimately maintaining a liveable planet. Their destruction would accelerate the rate at which our earth becomes uninhabitable. 

In addition to the demolition of natural habitats, immense amounts of pollution will be created. The construction process is not in an enclosed area. This is the open ocean; debris, chemicals, and gases are bound to enter the water. What this does is kill off animal and plant life, cause eutrophication, and make the area uninhabitable to native wildlife. 

Colonizing the ocean could bring about a lot of good: new industries, new living spaces, advancements in science, and so much more. But something far more important is the evil it can do as well. If these structures were to be implemented, our oceans would continue on a downwards spiral. Life would die off, and our home would be put in danger. 

For more on this topic, please visit:

Science/Nature

Global warming

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By: Charlie Fragassi

Global warming is a huge problem that the world has yet to get under control. A lot of people may not know what global warming is at all. Global warming is basically when there’s a temperature increase in the earth’s atmosphere. This is caused by the amount of pollutants in the air today. Experts say that around the time of 1980, is when there began a huge increase in global temperatures, and it really hasn’t gotten much better at all.

Global warming affects a lot more than just humans; it also affects animals as well. For example, the polar bear is a common example brought up in global warming/climate change because the ice is melting at a faster rate and that’s part of the polar bears habitat. They use ice floes to catch seals and other marine animals. Unfortunately, there are fewer than 25,000 polar bears left in the wild, and at this rate, with the way everything’s going, they won’t be here much longer.

There are some ways to help with global warming, and one of the ways is recycling. This, along with just bringing your own shopping bags with you while you go shopping, reduces the waste of plastic that is brought out into the world.

Driving electric cars also tremendously helps the spread of global warming because there is no gas coming from the car, so it doesn’t produce pollution out in the air.

Another main reason global warming is such a pressing issue is because not everyone thinks that it is even real. Many people believe that it is fake and is made up even though there has been full scientific evidence backing it up. People still refuse to believe in it, and that causes things to get done at a slower rate.

Global warming could get under control a lot quicker if everyone was just on the same exact page.

For more information, please visit:

  • “Global Warming, Greenhouse Effect, Climate Change and Their Relationships” sgkplanet.com/en/global-warming-greenhouse-effect-climate-change-and-their-relationships/
  • “Global Warming 101” http://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101