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The biggest local, national, and international news stories that happened over the past few months
By Finn Bell
DHS to receive new Drinking Fountains and Faucets
Dexter High School is going to be receiving new drinking fountains and faucets over the summer as part of the latest bond. Superintendent Timmis announced this in a tweet on February 27, alongside an image of the new drinking fountains. They will be a combination of a drinking fountain and water bottle refiller. This is welcome news, as DHS currently has very few working faucets and drinking fountains, which is a real nuisance for teachers and students alike.
Parkland Shooting
On February 14, a school shooting in Parkland, Florida shook the nation. The shooter, armed with an AR-15 style semi-automatic assault rifle, killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School before fleeing the scene. This tragedy has reignited the debate over gun control across the country, as survivors of the shooting have come out in support of stronger gun control legislation. This wave of change has also reached Dexter, with DHS now using a Buzz-In system to increase security within the school.
Italy in Political Turmoil
The European Union is in a precarious situation after an election in March. The election saw an explosion of support for two political parties: The Five Star Movement and The League. Both of these parties have publicly denounced the EU, and have expressed a wish to leave. This has caused many people in Europe to get worried. The EU is already struggling with the loss of the United Kingdom, and losing another powerful member would be a catastrophic blow for the European Union, one that they may never recover from.
Easing Tensions in North Korea
Ever since North and South Korea competed together at the Winter Olympics, diplomacy with the North seems increasingly viable. On March 6th, a communique from North Korea announced the countries wish to remove all nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula. However, officials from the North have stated that they will only abandon their nuclear weapons program if they feel their security is no longer threatened. This would most likely mean the U.S withdrawing the 23,000 troops it has stationed in South Korea. The White House has confirmed plans to continue negotiations and has agreed to meet with a North Korean delegation in May.
West Virginia Teachers go on Strike
Teachers in the state of West Virginia went on strike for 9 days, from February 25 to March 6. The strike was in reaction to low wages among teachers: public school teachers in West Virginia make on average $45,622, the third lowest pay of any state. Many teachers in West Virginia don’t make enough money to support themselves with teaching alone, needing to take other jobs to make ends meet. The strike ended when West Virginia Lawmakers caved to their demands and passed a law giving teachers a 5% raise in their wages.
Trump Implements Steel Tariff
In March, President Trump unveiled a new step in his plan to bring back American businesses: a tariff on steel and aluminum imports. The proposed tariff would impose a 25% tax on steel imports and a 10% tax on aluminum imports, in an attempt to encourage businesses to use steel and aluminum made in the U.S. However, steel and aluminum from certain countries deemed “real friends” such as Mexico, Canada, and others will be exempt from the new tax. While this tax may sound like a good idea on paper, many economists argue that the higher prices may end up hurting the economy instead of helping it as intended.
Austin Package Bombings
The city of Austin, Texas was terrorized by a deadly string of package bombings from March 2 to 21. In total, 5 bombs exploded, killing 2 people, and injuring 4 more. The bombs were disguised as FedEx packages and were delivered to people’s houses either by hand or through the postal service. Luckily, law enforcement managed to prevent a sixth bomb from going off, which resulted in the suspect killing himself with one of his own bombs. While his motives are unknown, many suspected early on that the attacks might have been racially motivated, however, this may not be the case.
