Estancia Girl’s Golf Players Prevail in Orange Coast League Prelims
On October 22, junior Lexi Throrpe, sophomore Dillon Morgan, and junior Lexi Jaeger of the Estancia’s girl’s golf team qualified to play in the 2019 CIF golf individual’s qualifiers at the Costa Mesa Golf Course.
Each of the girls played 3 games of 9-holes. Lexi Thorpe shot a 37 on her first game and 47 on the following, and finally a 38 on her last 9-holes. She placed 1st in the entire individual’s qualifiers out of 12 players with a score of 122.
Dillon Morgan scored 41 points in her first set of 9-holes, later had a score of 50, and shoot a final round of 53, placing her 5th place in the qualifiers with a score of 144.
In Lexi Jaeger’s 3 rounds of 9-holes, she had scores of 43 in her first game, 57 in the following round, and 44 for her final game. Adding up to a set score of 144, Jaeger placed 7th overall in the Southern Section Division 3 qualifiers.
The girl’s golf team had an amazing season, compiling a record of 9-1. Jaeger commented about how the season went, “Personally I feel the girls golf team did amazing this season. We did our very best and it definitely showed even when we lost one match. We all were still there for everyone no matter what. We have all grown individually and as a team.”
The lady eagles look to play in their next round of CIF playoffs on October 28 at Costa Mesa Golf Course.
Estancia has Heart Breaking Loss to Calvary Chapel
On October 3rd, Estancia's football team (1-5) had their first league matchup against Calvary Chapel High School (6-0) at OCC's Lebard Stadium. Calvary was victorious over the Estancia Eagles, 24-14.
In the first quarter of the game, it was all defense for both teams, as Estancia was able to go head-to-head with Calvary. Neither team was able to put up any points on the scoreboard, but there were several plays that kept it that way. One play in particular was when Estancia's #6, sophomore Yovanni Avila was able to intercept a throw from Calvary in the end zone to prevent a score.
The second quarter was the complete opposite of the first quarter, as both teams points on the board. Within the first 4 minutes of the quarter, Estancia's quarterback, sophomore Cameron Knickerbocker threw to senior running back Nathan Pacheco for a 25 yard touchdown. The Eagle's punter, Avila, kicked a successful field goal, making the score 7-0. With 5 minutes remaining in the quarter , the Eagles scored again on a 13 yard rushing touchdown by Nathan Pacheco. This was followed up by an extra point scored from Avila yet again, putting the Estancia Eagles up 14-0. Although the the end of the first half was near, Calvary Chapel refused to be scoreless, answering with a touchdown of their own with less than 3 minutes remaining. Calvary decided to go for a 2-point conversion to continue the close the scoring gap. Their attempt attempt was successful, ending the first half with a score of 14-8.
In an interview with Nathan Pacheco, he stated,"After being up in the first half, we felt really confident going into the next half. We felt that we could our momentum and be able to put up more points right off the start." Although the Eagles were very confident in the 3rd, Calvary came out of the gates swinging, as within the first 3 minutes, they complete a pass for a touchdown, and once again, complete a successful 2-point conversion. This put Calvary ahead of the Eagles 16-14, but Estancia's defense was able to prevent anymore scoring from Calvary, and the score remained the same by the end of the third quarter.
In the 4th quarter, Calvary really put the nail in the coffin, as they completed another touchdown, following up with yet another 2-point conversion, notching the score at 24-14. The Eagles were unable to score any more points, as Calvary began to chew up the clock. Estancia would lose to Calvary Chapel with a final score of 24-14 as the time expired. The Eagles are looking to refine their skills and are set to play the Saddleback Roadrunners on October 11th for the homecoming game.
Parents Shouldn’t Give Children Curfews
Over the years, there has been a long debate about whether parents should implement curfews in their homes as a way to keep their children away from crime or harm, to keep order in the household. Although this is true, studies have shown that curfews aren’t as effective as people believe them to be.
Several studies have been conducted to determine if curfews are useful to cities and homes, and they showed they are not effective.According to the news outlet, WHYY, in 1976, Detroit implemented a curfew for children that lasted from 10 P.M to 9 A.M. A study done on this showed juvenile crime dropped by six percent, but mid afternoon crimes rose 13 percent. The news outlet, BrandonGaille, covered a study done in Monrovia, California, a city that had a daytime curfew. They discovered that crime rose by 53 percent during curfew hours, and it decreased by 12 percent while the curfew was suspended.
I believe there is enough evidence that suggests that curfews do not automatically keep children safe from danger, but there have been results where curfews are useful in keeping kids safe. I am not discrediting curfews as being completely useless, but people need to understand their children can be in the middle of danger at anytime, and that’s reality.
Curfews will not prevent children from staying out of trouble, as they can easily go looking for it before their set curfew time. Anyone can be kidnapped, go rob a store, or commit any other crime, and it can take place in the middle of the day.
From my personal experiences, I can attest to this. I have witnessed several family members, teens, get arrested for vandalism or doing drugs, and they occurred before the sun goes down.
Although there is enough information that suggests curfews are completely effective, it has been useful to a lot of families. There are many families who set curfew for their children, and it works like a charm.
Parents should not give their children a curfew because they are ineffective and fail to show significant change in juvenile crime. The police should not be involved in the decision making whether a parent will assign a curfew. Parents and their children should come to agreement on set terms for when they are out of the house.
The Mandalorian: The Story of a Legend
On November 12, 2019, Disney released their own streaming service in the form of Disney Plus, which included all Disney-owned films and shows, ranging from the past and present day. With the release of Disney Plus, they created their own Original shows, including The Mandalorian.
The Mandolrian is a stand alone show from the Star Wars universe, about a bounty hunter named Mando, who belongs to a race called Mandalorians. He is seen as nothing more than a man that will do anything to make a profit, being considered as one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. As the series progresses, we begin to learn more about our protagonist and his character as a whole. We learn that Mando, is an orphan since his parents were killed when he was a child during the Clone Wars, and was taken in by the people of Mandalore. Although the Mandalorians have a reputation for being ruthless warriors, Mando shows his soft side a good amount within the show. As part of the Mandalorian religion, Mando can never take off his helmet that was welded for him. His mask is a metaphor as it is a persona. When he has his mask on, people only see him as a bounty hunter that does anything to make a score. Underneath it all, Mando has his own moral code, and overall is a caring person.
With only a few episodes under its belt, I would consider The Mandalorian the best television series within the Star Wars universe. The show is also rated highly within the Star Wars film installments. I personally put it with the ranks of the original trilogy, which are the best films in Star Wars. The Mandalorian is a very, very well produced show. The visual imagery and animations are incredible, and the cast is spectacular. Pedro Pascal, who plays Mando, is one of the only main recurring characters, and does an excellent job playing his part. Although The Mandolorian is a great show, the plot isn’t specifically explained or connected to the main Star Wars storyline. Overall, I would rate The Mandalorian a 9/10.
The Mandalorian is a highly praised show, and is a must-see for Star Wars fans or anyone who has or is planning to buy membership for Disney Plus.
Ukranian Plane Shot Down in Tehran
On Monday, January 10, 2020, a Ukranian airliner crashed down in the capital of Iran, Tehran in the early morning hours. The crash resulted in the loss of all 176 people that were on board the airplane. The 176 people on board consisted of 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukranians, 10 Swedes, 4 Afghans, 3 Germans, and 3 British nationals. Although the plane crashed, many had speculated Iran had shot down the airliner. After the British and Canadian governments all came out with statements on the event, Iran had publicly announced they did in fact shoot the plane.
Iran has been on high alert since the previous week, when the U.S. killed Iran’s top military leader, Qasem Soleimani. Iran responded to this attack by retaliating on two Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops. Iran made claims that they would not attack, as long as they would not face any more threats or attacks themselves.
There is much uncertainty with where all this tension will lead to. Iran can either go to war with the U.S. and their allies, or they somehow find a way to reduce their conflict to where it doesn’t lead to a full scale war. On the Iranian homefront, the Iranian people have protested their own government for not revealing the true nature of how all 176 people on-board the Ukranian plane were killed. As a result of the protest, at least 1,500 citizens have been killed during the protests.
Chinese Coronavirus Reaches the United States
On January 8, 2020, a new strain of the coronavirus was discovered by Chinese scientists. This new virus strain is part of the SARS family, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, that infected more than 8,000 people, killing 774 in 2002 and 2003 in Asia and Canada. The virus has now returned, and has already had an effect on part of the world population.
As of January 21, there have been 440 cases of people being infected with the virus all over the continent of Asia, with the majority being from China. So far, there have been 6 casualties that have been a result from the outbreak. The Chinese have been trying to contain the outbreak, but there has been little success. There is already one confirmed case of the coronavirus within the United States. A man in his 30s from Washington is being quarantined at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington. The man contracted the disease after he traveled to Wuhan, China, which is considered to be the epicenter of where the virus originated from.
The Washington case, is the only one reported outside of Asia, which is one of the farthest locations that the coronavirus has ever reached. Both the CDC and WHO are set to meet on January 22 to discuss the disease, containment and the plan moving forward to help those with the virus. While the medical world is meeting, the rest of the world is very concerned. The only question that people are asking now is how far will the disease will spread.
New Northgate Supermarket Coming to Costa Mesa
As of January 16, 2020, it was announced that a Northgate Market would replace the Albertsons in Costa Mesa. Melissa Hill, a spokeswoman for Albertsons grocery chain, stated that Albertsons did not renew their lease, therefore they will close their store on February 22.
The Northgate Gonzáles Market is a latin-themed grocery store that has been in business for over 40 years, with 41 locations, all within Southern California. With their new location, it is expected to open in late 2020, or early 2021. This is due to the fact that Northgate has to renovate the entire building. They are expected to hire around 150 new employees.
With the closing of Albertsons, people would lose a grocery chain that has been in the community since 2000, and the workers would not have a job anymore. Melissa Hill did also state that all of Albertsons employees would continue to have a job, but at different locations. Another probable issue that could occur with Northgate opening, is that other local Latin businesses could be in jeopardy.
Local businesses, such as El Metate and El Toro Bravo Market, have been with Costa Mesa for well over 30 years. These have been some of the main destinations for people who want to buy Latin products. ¨
Jojo Rabbit Review
The film Jojo Rabbit was released on October 18, 2019. The film is a comedy drama that has a cast of up and coming actors, and several that are famously known. The cast includes actor/director Taika Waittti, Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Stephen Merchant, Rebel Wilson, and Aflie Allen, who all standout in the movie.
Jojo Rabbit is a movie about a young boy named Jojo (Davis), who is growing up in Nazi Germany during WWII. As a German boy, he idolizes Adolf Hitler, so he becomes part of the Hitler Youth, and his imaginary friend is HItler (Waittti) himself. Jojo lives with his mother Rosie (Johansson), and although they have a good relationship, they often clash when it comes to Hitler and how he believes that their race is superior. One day, Jojo finds out his mother his hiding a young Jewish girl, Elsa(McKenzie). At first, Jojo is frightened and fearful of the girl, as the nazi regime made Jewish people look like mosters and not human. For a long time, he would treat the girl as his enemy, but overtime, he befriends her and slowly starts to change his views on his beliefs, realizing people of other races are people too.
The movie starts off as a comedic film, as the director made Nazis seem like a joke for the first half, but once Jojo discovers Elsa in his house, the film shifts to the more serious aspects There are several events in the movie that take place that helps reshape Jojo’s views on the world.
This mood shift was a surprise to many that watched the film, which proved to be successful. Overall, the movie is a good comedic film, and at the same time has well directed emotional parts. I would give the film an 8/10, because the directing was very good, the film quality was stellar, as well as the acting. The only real issue with the movie is the comedic part of the film seemed very short compared to the more serious part of the movie, and the mood shift came out of nowhere, with no development. If you liked other movies from Taika Waittti, such as Thor and Avengers, you will like this movie because they are all excellently directed, good plot and direction, and the picture quality is also superb.
Mac Miller’s Family Releases New Single
On January 17, 2020, the late Mac Miller’s family released his sixth studio album, over a year after the singer’s accidental overdose. MIller’s new album titled, “Circles”, includes the album single, “Circles”.
The single “Circles” is a very emotionally deep song, as the references the struggles a person will experience throughout their life. The song lyrics state, “Stumbling around,you been guessing your direction. Next step, you can’t see at all...Trust me I’ve tried I just end up right at the start of the line.” These few verses explain how people will struggle with life and the goals they have, but how they will fail many, many times, causing what seems like an endless cycle.
Even though the song talks about failure, it also gives hope to people. The lyrics read, “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid...Don’t you put any more stress on yourself, it’s one day at a time.” This means that it acceptable to fail in the world, but that doesn’t mean one should just give up entirely. You should embrace the failure, and as the song states, “it’s one day at a time,” stating success will not come overnight, but it’s a gradual process, and if we rush into things, then we are more likely to fail.
Over all, “Circles” and all the other songs on Mac Miller’s album are astonishing songs addressing surreal topics in today’s world, including coping with depression, relationships, and figuring out one’s self. The album consisted of 11 other songs, with “Blue World” and “Good News” being some of the more favorable singles. As of now, the “Circles” album was the only music was working on at the time of his death. Other artists that are similar to Mac Miller were the late XXXTentacion, J.Cole, and Macklemore.
Estancia Boys Soccer Ties Costa Mesa in Battle of the Bell Match
On February 6, the Estancia boys varsity soccer team (4-2-4) matched up against the Costa Mesa Mustangs (2-3-5) in the second game of their annual Battle of the Bell at Jim Scott Stadium. The game would end in a tie, with a score of 0-0.
For the entirety of the game, the defense for both teams had carried the match. There were only a handful of scoring opportunities for both Estancia and Costa Mesa. One of these opportunities came in the second half, with 18 minutes remaining. Estancia committed a foul on a Costa Mesa player within the penalty box, resulting in Mesa receiving a penalty shot. The shot missed high above the crossbar.
Senior forward and team captain, Marcos Arrieloa, talked about his team's performance and stated, “I feel like my team won the game. We struggled putting our chances away and in the end it punished us. We were the team with the most energy throughout the game. Playoffs are about who wants it more. I’ll make sure to get that in their head and make sure we train hard. No game will be easy.”
Estancia’s season ended on February 12th with a 4-0 loss to La Habra High School in the first round of CIF playoffs.
Lil Uzi Releases New Album “Eternal Atake”
On March 6, 2020, American rapper Lil Uzi Vert released his second studio album, “Eternal Atake.” This new album discusses Lil Uzi’s success, the money and fame he has garnered over his career, the women who are chasing him, and the stress of dealing with fame.
This album consists of 18 emo rap songs that include fan favorites, ¨Baby Pluto¨, ¨ Lo Mein¨, ¨Silly Watch¨, ¨Homecoming¨, and ¨P2¨. ¨Baby Pluto¨ talks about how Lil Uzi spends and flexes his money. In his song, it says, ¨I turned to an addict, I bought me a Patek. I bought her a baby one. I stay with the baddest, I’m countin’ the cabbage.” His lyrics explain how he spends his money after the success his freshman album garnered.
The other 17 songs on the “Eternal Atake” album have similar topics that are talked about. Other artists that are similar to Lil Uzi Vert’s style of music are 21 Savage, Lil Yachty, Playboi Carti, and the late Juice Wrld. Uzi’s debut album, “Luv is Rage 2” was a massive hit to the fans, and they would most likely enjoy listening to “Eternal Atake”. Lil Uzi is currently on a tour that will last from 2020-2021 in three countries, America, Great Britain, and Portugal.
NMUSD Shuts Down School For Remainder of 2019-2020 School Year
On March 16, 2020, Estancia High School and the entire Newport-Mesa Unified School District had closed their doors for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year due to a rise in COVID-19 virus cases, also known as “coronavirus.” The week prior to NMUSD shutting down, many schools across the country had decided to close down as well, and many people within the community believed Newport-Mesa would follow the trend. Originally, on the week class was cancelled, the district had released a statement suggesting school would return on April 13th, after the student’s scheduled spring break. However, 2 weeks later on March 31, the California superintendent Tony Thrumond and Governor Gavin Newson announced all California schools would be shut down for the remainder of the year.
Several students from the Newport-Mesa District were asked about how they felt about their schools closing for the rest of the year and what they had done with their spare time during this epidemic. Viviana Arroyo, a senior from Estancia High School responded by stating, “Honestly, I wasn’t surprised. I just thought the closure of the school would have happened earlier. I have just been watching TikToks, playing minecraft and facetiming friends.” Another student from Estancia, senior Omar Flores was quoted stating, “I was happy because we have a break, but also sad that we wouldn’t know when school would be back and if prom and graduation would continue. I passed time by playing video games with friends and watching Netflix.” The final student interviewed was Newport Harbor High School junior, Carlos Bautista, who expressed “The school aspect I didn’t really mind but what hurt most was the end of baseball season. First year on varsity gone. I spent my time off by playing catching and hitting with a friend.”
As of April 13th, NMUSD, as well as other schools across the nation, have switched to Distant Learning.
Top COVID-19 Safety Tips
The COVID-19 virus was first discovered in December of 2019, and became an epidemic by March of 2020, affecting millions of people all over the world, causing hundreds and thousands of deaths. Since March, many countries have enforced stay-at-home orders, and even full lockdowns of countries, such as Italy. The people that are most at risk of being infected are the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Not only are the elderly and people with their immune systems at risk, but every other living person in the world can be infected with COVID-19.
Since everyone is at risk of this pandemic that is affecting the world, people should take precautions to reduce the risk of catching the illness. One of the most important ways of reducing the possibility of getting the virus, is to avoid any and all close contact. People should be: practicing social distancing, staying home unless needed to go out, working from home, trying to avoid anyone that has symptoms of a sickness, going to the grocery stores during off-peak times, and using face coverings.
Another important aspect to being safe during COVID-19 epidemic is by having proper hygiene. People should be washing their hands with soap everytime they use the bathroom or they touch something that can be carrying traces of the virus. Hand sanitizer with at least 60% of alcohol should be frequently used by people. People should also avoid touching their face, especially when their hands haven’t been washed with soap.
Not only are there useful tips for people to prevent becoming sick, but there are guidelines for people who are experiencing symptoms or are in fact sick should follow to keep themselves and others safe. People with symptoms should stay at home, staying away from others within the home. If one begins to experience symptoms, they should call their doctor to explain their situation, unless they have difficulty breathing or are dealing with a high fever, they should go to the hospital. If the decision to go to the hospital is decided on, they should be wearing a facial covering to prevent possible spreading of the infection.
By applying these practices everyday, healthy people will be able to reduce the possibility of becoming sick with COVID-19, as well as to protect those that have weak immune systems.
COVID Hero Stories
The COVID 19 virus has made life difficult for people in the United States, as well as the entire world. As history has shown, people can become different in times of despair, possibly becoming ‘worse’ people as their morals change. Although there are many bad choices made during times of crisis, there are also many good people who make good choices, as people and corporations have been doing what they can to help others.
51 year old Andre Anglin is a busdriver from Columbus, Ohio. Before becoming a busdriver in Columbus, Mr.Anglin was in the military and took part in the Gulf War. Ever since the epidemic in America broke out, even after the social distancing was implemented, Anglin continued to drive his bus all over the city. He understood that people who rode his bus were going to the grocery store, work, or to see their loved ones. Ever since leaving the military, his sense of honor still remained greatly intact, which is why when he transports people during the COVID 19 infection, people were still protected. He modified his bus to where people aren’t bunched up, and he also sanitizes everything.
Many corporations are helping with COVID 19 relief such as, Global Giving. Since the epidemic started, Global Giving has pledged to raise an estimated 5 million dollars to provide hospitals and all the doctors in communities in need. They would help to provide necessary supplies, such as ventilators and masks. The money would also go to prevention efforts once the epidemic has died off, making sure it does return.
Although there are many government and civil employees and organizations that are helping out during the dark times of the COVID-19 virus, it is also the everyday person throughout the world that are the heroes as well. This means that every single person that is following safety guidelines and proper safety procedures, are doing their part as well to make sure the people around them have a reduced risk of catching the virus. Also, the ones who have donated their money and time to various organizations and charities that are helping people during COVID are also considered as heroes.
On October 22, junior Lexi Throrpe, sophomore Dillon Morgan, and junior Lexi Jaeger of the Estancia’s girl’s golf team qualified to play in the 2019 CIF golf individual’s qualifiers at the Costa Mesa Golf Course.
Each of the girls played 3 games of 9-holes. Lexi Thorpe shot a 37 on her first game and 47 on the following, and finally a 38 on her last 9-holes. She placed 1st in the entire individual’s qualifiers out of 12 players with a score of 122.
Dillon Morgan scored 41 points in her first set of 9-holes, later had a score of 50, and shoot a final round of 53, placing her 5th place in the qualifiers with a score of 144.
In Lexi Jaeger’s 3 rounds of 9-holes, she had scores of 43 in her first game, 57 in the following round, and 44 for her final game. Adding up to a set score of 144, Jaeger placed 7th overall in the Southern Section Division 3 qualifiers.
The girl’s golf team had an amazing season, compiling a record of 9-1. Jaeger commented about how the season went, “Personally I feel the girls golf team did amazing this season. We did our very best and it definitely showed even when we lost one match. We all were still there for everyone no matter what. We have all grown individually and as a team.”
The lady eagles look to play in their next round of CIF playoffs on October 28 at Costa Mesa Golf Course.
Estancia has Heart Breaking Loss to Calvary Chapel
On October 3rd, Estancia's football team (1-5) had their first league matchup against Calvary Chapel High School (6-0) at OCC's Lebard Stadium. Calvary was victorious over the Estancia Eagles, 24-14.
In the first quarter of the game, it was all defense for both teams, as Estancia was able to go head-to-head with Calvary. Neither team was able to put up any points on the scoreboard, but there were several plays that kept it that way. One play in particular was when Estancia's #6, sophomore Yovanni Avila was able to intercept a throw from Calvary in the end zone to prevent a score.
The second quarter was the complete opposite of the first quarter, as both teams points on the board. Within the first 4 minutes of the quarter, Estancia's quarterback, sophomore Cameron Knickerbocker threw to senior running back Nathan Pacheco for a 25 yard touchdown. The Eagle's punter, Avila, kicked a successful field goal, making the score 7-0. With 5 minutes remaining in the quarter , the Eagles scored again on a 13 yard rushing touchdown by Nathan Pacheco. This was followed up by an extra point scored from Avila yet again, putting the Estancia Eagles up 14-0. Although the the end of the first half was near, Calvary Chapel refused to be scoreless, answering with a touchdown of their own with less than 3 minutes remaining. Calvary decided to go for a 2-point conversion to continue the close the scoring gap. Their attempt attempt was successful, ending the first half with a score of 14-8.
In an interview with Nathan Pacheco, he stated,"After being up in the first half, we felt really confident going into the next half. We felt that we could our momentum and be able to put up more points right off the start." Although the Eagles were very confident in the 3rd, Calvary came out of the gates swinging, as within the first 3 minutes, they complete a pass for a touchdown, and once again, complete a successful 2-point conversion. This put Calvary ahead of the Eagles 16-14, but Estancia's defense was able to prevent anymore scoring from Calvary, and the score remained the same by the end of the third quarter.
In the 4th quarter, Calvary really put the nail in the coffin, as they completed another touchdown, following up with yet another 2-point conversion, notching the score at 24-14. The Eagles were unable to score any more points, as Calvary began to chew up the clock. Estancia would lose to Calvary Chapel with a final score of 24-14 as the time expired. The Eagles are looking to refine their skills and are set to play the Saddleback Roadrunners on October 11th for the homecoming game.
Parents Shouldn’t Give Children Curfews
Over the years, there has been a long debate about whether parents should implement curfews in their homes as a way to keep their children away from crime or harm, to keep order in the household. Although this is true, studies have shown that curfews aren’t as effective as people believe them to be.
Several studies have been conducted to determine if curfews are useful to cities and homes, and they showed they are not effective.According to the news outlet, WHYY, in 1976, Detroit implemented a curfew for children that lasted from 10 P.M to 9 A.M. A study done on this showed juvenile crime dropped by six percent, but mid afternoon crimes rose 13 percent. The news outlet, BrandonGaille, covered a study done in Monrovia, California, a city that had a daytime curfew. They discovered that crime rose by 53 percent during curfew hours, and it decreased by 12 percent while the curfew was suspended.
I believe there is enough evidence that suggests that curfews do not automatically keep children safe from danger, but there have been results where curfews are useful in keeping kids safe. I am not discrediting curfews as being completely useless, but people need to understand their children can be in the middle of danger at anytime, and that’s reality.
Curfews will not prevent children from staying out of trouble, as they can easily go looking for it before their set curfew time. Anyone can be kidnapped, go rob a store, or commit any other crime, and it can take place in the middle of the day.
From my personal experiences, I can attest to this. I have witnessed several family members, teens, get arrested for vandalism or doing drugs, and they occurred before the sun goes down.
Although there is enough information that suggests curfews are completely effective, it has been useful to a lot of families. There are many families who set curfew for their children, and it works like a charm.
Parents should not give their children a curfew because they are ineffective and fail to show significant change in juvenile crime. The police should not be involved in the decision making whether a parent will assign a curfew. Parents and their children should come to agreement on set terms for when they are out of the house.
The Mandalorian: The Story of a Legend
On November 12, 2019, Disney released their own streaming service in the form of Disney Plus, which included all Disney-owned films and shows, ranging from the past and present day. With the release of Disney Plus, they created their own Original shows, including The Mandalorian.
The Mandolrian is a stand alone show from the Star Wars universe, about a bounty hunter named Mando, who belongs to a race called Mandalorians. He is seen as nothing more than a man that will do anything to make a profit, being considered as one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. As the series progresses, we begin to learn more about our protagonist and his character as a whole. We learn that Mando, is an orphan since his parents were killed when he was a child during the Clone Wars, and was taken in by the people of Mandalore. Although the Mandalorians have a reputation for being ruthless warriors, Mando shows his soft side a good amount within the show. As part of the Mandalorian religion, Mando can never take off his helmet that was welded for him. His mask is a metaphor as it is a persona. When he has his mask on, people only see him as a bounty hunter that does anything to make a score. Underneath it all, Mando has his own moral code, and overall is a caring person.
With only a few episodes under its belt, I would consider The Mandalorian the best television series within the Star Wars universe. The show is also rated highly within the Star Wars film installments. I personally put it with the ranks of the original trilogy, which are the best films in Star Wars. The Mandalorian is a very, very well produced show. The visual imagery and animations are incredible, and the cast is spectacular. Pedro Pascal, who plays Mando, is one of the only main recurring characters, and does an excellent job playing his part. Although The Mandolorian is a great show, the plot isn’t specifically explained or connected to the main Star Wars storyline. Overall, I would rate The Mandalorian a 9/10.
The Mandalorian is a highly praised show, and is a must-see for Star Wars fans or anyone who has or is planning to buy membership for Disney Plus.
Ukranian Plane Shot Down in Tehran
On Monday, January 10, 2020, a Ukranian airliner crashed down in the capital of Iran, Tehran in the early morning hours. The crash resulted in the loss of all 176 people that were on board the airplane. The 176 people on board consisted of 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukranians, 10 Swedes, 4 Afghans, 3 Germans, and 3 British nationals. Although the plane crashed, many had speculated Iran had shot down the airliner. After the British and Canadian governments all came out with statements on the event, Iran had publicly announced they did in fact shoot the plane.
Iran has been on high alert since the previous week, when the U.S. killed Iran’s top military leader, Qasem Soleimani. Iran responded to this attack by retaliating on two Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops. Iran made claims that they would not attack, as long as they would not face any more threats or attacks themselves.
There is much uncertainty with where all this tension will lead to. Iran can either go to war with the U.S. and their allies, or they somehow find a way to reduce their conflict to where it doesn’t lead to a full scale war. On the Iranian homefront, the Iranian people have protested their own government for not revealing the true nature of how all 176 people on-board the Ukranian plane were killed. As a result of the protest, at least 1,500 citizens have been killed during the protests.
Chinese Coronavirus Reaches the United States
On January 8, 2020, a new strain of the coronavirus was discovered by Chinese scientists. This new virus strain is part of the SARS family, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, that infected more than 8,000 people, killing 774 in 2002 and 2003 in Asia and Canada. The virus has now returned, and has already had an effect on part of the world population.
As of January 21, there have been 440 cases of people being infected with the virus all over the continent of Asia, with the majority being from China. So far, there have been 6 casualties that have been a result from the outbreak. The Chinese have been trying to contain the outbreak, but there has been little success. There is already one confirmed case of the coronavirus within the United States. A man in his 30s from Washington is being quarantined at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington. The man contracted the disease after he traveled to Wuhan, China, which is considered to be the epicenter of where the virus originated from.
The Washington case, is the only one reported outside of Asia, which is one of the farthest locations that the coronavirus has ever reached. Both the CDC and WHO are set to meet on January 22 to discuss the disease, containment and the plan moving forward to help those with the virus. While the medical world is meeting, the rest of the world is very concerned. The only question that people are asking now is how far will the disease will spread.
New Northgate Supermarket Coming to Costa Mesa
As of January 16, 2020, it was announced that a Northgate Market would replace the Albertsons in Costa Mesa. Melissa Hill, a spokeswoman for Albertsons grocery chain, stated that Albertsons did not renew their lease, therefore they will close their store on February 22.
The Northgate Gonzáles Market is a latin-themed grocery store that has been in business for over 40 years, with 41 locations, all within Southern California. With their new location, it is expected to open in late 2020, or early 2021. This is due to the fact that Northgate has to renovate the entire building. They are expected to hire around 150 new employees.
With the closing of Albertsons, people would lose a grocery chain that has been in the community since 2000, and the workers would not have a job anymore. Melissa Hill did also state that all of Albertsons employees would continue to have a job, but at different locations. Another probable issue that could occur with Northgate opening, is that other local Latin businesses could be in jeopardy.
Local businesses, such as El Metate and El Toro Bravo Market, have been with Costa Mesa for well over 30 years. These have been some of the main destinations for people who want to buy Latin products. ¨
Jojo Rabbit Review
The film Jojo Rabbit was released on October 18, 2019. The film is a comedy drama that has a cast of up and coming actors, and several that are famously known. The cast includes actor/director Taika Waittti, Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Stephen Merchant, Rebel Wilson, and Aflie Allen, who all standout in the movie.
Jojo Rabbit is a movie about a young boy named Jojo (Davis), who is growing up in Nazi Germany during WWII. As a German boy, he idolizes Adolf Hitler, so he becomes part of the Hitler Youth, and his imaginary friend is HItler (Waittti) himself. Jojo lives with his mother Rosie (Johansson), and although they have a good relationship, they often clash when it comes to Hitler and how he believes that their race is superior. One day, Jojo finds out his mother his hiding a young Jewish girl, Elsa(McKenzie). At first, Jojo is frightened and fearful of the girl, as the nazi regime made Jewish people look like mosters and not human. For a long time, he would treat the girl as his enemy, but overtime, he befriends her and slowly starts to change his views on his beliefs, realizing people of other races are people too.
The movie starts off as a comedic film, as the director made Nazis seem like a joke for the first half, but once Jojo discovers Elsa in his house, the film shifts to the more serious aspects There are several events in the movie that take place that helps reshape Jojo’s views on the world.
This mood shift was a surprise to many that watched the film, which proved to be successful. Overall, the movie is a good comedic film, and at the same time has well directed emotional parts. I would give the film an 8/10, because the directing was very good, the film quality was stellar, as well as the acting. The only real issue with the movie is the comedic part of the film seemed very short compared to the more serious part of the movie, and the mood shift came out of nowhere, with no development. If you liked other movies from Taika Waittti, such as Thor and Avengers, you will like this movie because they are all excellently directed, good plot and direction, and the picture quality is also superb.
Mac Miller’s Family Releases New Single
On January 17, 2020, the late Mac Miller’s family released his sixth studio album, over a year after the singer’s accidental overdose. MIller’s new album titled, “Circles”, includes the album single, “Circles”.
The single “Circles” is a very emotionally deep song, as the references the struggles a person will experience throughout their life. The song lyrics state, “Stumbling around,you been guessing your direction. Next step, you can’t see at all...Trust me I’ve tried I just end up right at the start of the line.” These few verses explain how people will struggle with life and the goals they have, but how they will fail many, many times, causing what seems like an endless cycle.
Even though the song talks about failure, it also gives hope to people. The lyrics read, “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid...Don’t you put any more stress on yourself, it’s one day at a time.” This means that it acceptable to fail in the world, but that doesn’t mean one should just give up entirely. You should embrace the failure, and as the song states, “it’s one day at a time,” stating success will not come overnight, but it’s a gradual process, and if we rush into things, then we are more likely to fail.
Over all, “Circles” and all the other songs on Mac Miller’s album are astonishing songs addressing surreal topics in today’s world, including coping with depression, relationships, and figuring out one’s self. The album consisted of 11 other songs, with “Blue World” and “Good News” being some of the more favorable singles. As of now, the “Circles” album was the only music was working on at the time of his death. Other artists that are similar to Mac Miller were the late XXXTentacion, J.Cole, and Macklemore.
Estancia Boys Soccer Ties Costa Mesa in Battle of the Bell Match
On February 6, the Estancia boys varsity soccer team (4-2-4) matched up against the Costa Mesa Mustangs (2-3-5) in the second game of their annual Battle of the Bell at Jim Scott Stadium. The game would end in a tie, with a score of 0-0.
For the entirety of the game, the defense for both teams had carried the match. There were only a handful of scoring opportunities for both Estancia and Costa Mesa. One of these opportunities came in the second half, with 18 minutes remaining. Estancia committed a foul on a Costa Mesa player within the penalty box, resulting in Mesa receiving a penalty shot. The shot missed high above the crossbar.
Senior forward and team captain, Marcos Arrieloa, talked about his team's performance and stated, “I feel like my team won the game. We struggled putting our chances away and in the end it punished us. We were the team with the most energy throughout the game. Playoffs are about who wants it more. I’ll make sure to get that in their head and make sure we train hard. No game will be easy.”
Estancia’s season ended on February 12th with a 4-0 loss to La Habra High School in the first round of CIF playoffs.
Lil Uzi Releases New Album “Eternal Atake”
On March 6, 2020, American rapper Lil Uzi Vert released his second studio album, “Eternal Atake.” This new album discusses Lil Uzi’s success, the money and fame he has garnered over his career, the women who are chasing him, and the stress of dealing with fame.
This album consists of 18 emo rap songs that include fan favorites, ¨Baby Pluto¨, ¨ Lo Mein¨, ¨Silly Watch¨, ¨Homecoming¨, and ¨P2¨. ¨Baby Pluto¨ talks about how Lil Uzi spends and flexes his money. In his song, it says, ¨I turned to an addict, I bought me a Patek. I bought her a baby one. I stay with the baddest, I’m countin’ the cabbage.” His lyrics explain how he spends his money after the success his freshman album garnered.
The other 17 songs on the “Eternal Atake” album have similar topics that are talked about. Other artists that are similar to Lil Uzi Vert’s style of music are 21 Savage, Lil Yachty, Playboi Carti, and the late Juice Wrld. Uzi’s debut album, “Luv is Rage 2” was a massive hit to the fans, and they would most likely enjoy listening to “Eternal Atake”. Lil Uzi is currently on a tour that will last from 2020-2021 in three countries, America, Great Britain, and Portugal.
NMUSD Shuts Down School For Remainder of 2019-2020 School Year
On March 16, 2020, Estancia High School and the entire Newport-Mesa Unified School District had closed their doors for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year due to a rise in COVID-19 virus cases, also known as “coronavirus.” The week prior to NMUSD shutting down, many schools across the country had decided to close down as well, and many people within the community believed Newport-Mesa would follow the trend. Originally, on the week class was cancelled, the district had released a statement suggesting school would return on April 13th, after the student’s scheduled spring break. However, 2 weeks later on March 31, the California superintendent Tony Thrumond and Governor Gavin Newson announced all California schools would be shut down for the remainder of the year.
Several students from the Newport-Mesa District were asked about how they felt about their schools closing for the rest of the year and what they had done with their spare time during this epidemic. Viviana Arroyo, a senior from Estancia High School responded by stating, “Honestly, I wasn’t surprised. I just thought the closure of the school would have happened earlier. I have just been watching TikToks, playing minecraft and facetiming friends.” Another student from Estancia, senior Omar Flores was quoted stating, “I was happy because we have a break, but also sad that we wouldn’t know when school would be back and if prom and graduation would continue. I passed time by playing video games with friends and watching Netflix.” The final student interviewed was Newport Harbor High School junior, Carlos Bautista, who expressed “The school aspect I didn’t really mind but what hurt most was the end of baseball season. First year on varsity gone. I spent my time off by playing catching and hitting with a friend.”
As of April 13th, NMUSD, as well as other schools across the nation, have switched to Distant Learning.
Top COVID-19 Safety Tips
The COVID-19 virus was first discovered in December of 2019, and became an epidemic by March of 2020, affecting millions of people all over the world, causing hundreds and thousands of deaths. Since March, many countries have enforced stay-at-home orders, and even full lockdowns of countries, such as Italy. The people that are most at risk of being infected are the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Not only are the elderly and people with their immune systems at risk, but every other living person in the world can be infected with COVID-19.
Since everyone is at risk of this pandemic that is affecting the world, people should take precautions to reduce the risk of catching the illness. One of the most important ways of reducing the possibility of getting the virus, is to avoid any and all close contact. People should be: practicing social distancing, staying home unless needed to go out, working from home, trying to avoid anyone that has symptoms of a sickness, going to the grocery stores during off-peak times, and using face coverings.
Another important aspect to being safe during COVID-19 epidemic is by having proper hygiene. People should be washing their hands with soap everytime they use the bathroom or they touch something that can be carrying traces of the virus. Hand sanitizer with at least 60% of alcohol should be frequently used by people. People should also avoid touching their face, especially when their hands haven’t been washed with soap.
Not only are there useful tips for people to prevent becoming sick, but there are guidelines for people who are experiencing symptoms or are in fact sick should follow to keep themselves and others safe. People with symptoms should stay at home, staying away from others within the home. If one begins to experience symptoms, they should call their doctor to explain their situation, unless they have difficulty breathing or are dealing with a high fever, they should go to the hospital. If the decision to go to the hospital is decided on, they should be wearing a facial covering to prevent possible spreading of the infection.
By applying these practices everyday, healthy people will be able to reduce the possibility of becoming sick with COVID-19, as well as to protect those that have weak immune systems.
COVID Hero Stories
The COVID 19 virus has made life difficult for people in the United States, as well as the entire world. As history has shown, people can become different in times of despair, possibly becoming ‘worse’ people as their morals change. Although there are many bad choices made during times of crisis, there are also many good people who make good choices, as people and corporations have been doing what they can to help others.
51 year old Andre Anglin is a busdriver from Columbus, Ohio. Before becoming a busdriver in Columbus, Mr.Anglin was in the military and took part in the Gulf War. Ever since the epidemic in America broke out, even after the social distancing was implemented, Anglin continued to drive his bus all over the city. He understood that people who rode his bus were going to the grocery store, work, or to see their loved ones. Ever since leaving the military, his sense of honor still remained greatly intact, which is why when he transports people during the COVID 19 infection, people were still protected. He modified his bus to where people aren’t bunched up, and he also sanitizes everything.
Many corporations are helping with COVID 19 relief such as, Global Giving. Since the epidemic started, Global Giving has pledged to raise an estimated 5 million dollars to provide hospitals and all the doctors in communities in need. They would help to provide necessary supplies, such as ventilators and masks. The money would also go to prevention efforts once the epidemic has died off, making sure it does return.
Although there are many government and civil employees and organizations that are helping out during the dark times of the COVID-19 virus, it is also the everyday person throughout the world that are the heroes as well. This means that every single person that is following safety guidelines and proper safety procedures, are doing their part as well to make sure the people around them have a reduced risk of catching the virus. Also, the ones who have donated their money and time to various organizations and charities that are helping people during COVID are also considered as heroes.
