December 2019

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Founded in 1991

Vol. XXIV Issue III

December 2019

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Pirates' Hooko

Obituary

New Beginnings

Caroline Grayson Johnson

Caroline “Grayson” Johnson died Tuesday, November 12, 2019, at his home in Durham.

He was 17.

Grayson is survived by his parents, Michael Dean Johnson and Mary Ann Johnson; his brother, Nathan Johnson; sister, Rachel Johnson; and two huskies, Max and Ruby.

Grayson attended Carrington Middle School, Northern High School, and Riverside High School, where he was in the engineering program. He also participated in various clubs and organizations, including iNSIDEoUT, the Durham LGBT center, Riverside’s QSA, and the ASPCA. Grayson worked at the Harris Teeter on Roxboro road and had a passion for drawing. He is remembered for his love of people, hockey and art, his distinctive personality traits and belief that he could help anyone and be a good friend to many. Grayson and his mother, who was a very important part of his life, loved going to Metallica concerts. This summer Grayson also went white water rafting and mountain biking for the first time.

“He was fearless and had no fear of meeting new people, or trying new things,” said Michael Johnson.

Memorial donations can be made in Grayson’s honor to the LGBTQ Center of Durham. Donations can be made online at lgbtqcenterofdurham.org.

• PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HELM

Caroline “Grayson” Johnson falleció Martes, Noviembre 12, del 2019 en su casa en Durham. El tenía 17 años.

Grayson es sobrevivido por sus padres, Michael Dean Johnson y Mary Ann Johnson; Su hermano, Nathan Johnson; Hermana, Rachel Johnson; y dos Huskies, Max y Ruby.

Grayson atendio Carrington Middle School, Northern High School, y Riverside High School, donde él estaba en el programa de ingeniería.

También participó en varios clubs y organizaciones, incluyendo INSIDEoUT, El Durham LGBT center, QSA de Riverside, El al ASPCA. Grayson trabajo en Harris Teeter que está en Roxboro road y tenía una pasión de dibujando.

Lo vamos a recordar por su amor al que tenía para Hockey, arte y por sus rasgos distintivos de personalidad. Grayson y su madre, que fue una persona muy importante en su vida, les gustaba ir a los conciertos de Metallica. En el verano Grayson también fue rafting en aguas bravas y bicicleta en las montañas por la primera vez.

“No tenía miedo y menos en conocer a gente nueva, o tratando cosas nuevas” Dijo Michael Johnson.

Grayson será recordado por su amor que le tenía a la gente y creyendo que podía ayudar a todos, y siendo amigos con todos.

Se pueden hacer donaciones conmemorativas en honor a grayson en el LGBTQ center de Durham. Tambien pueden hacer donaciones a lgbtqcenterofdurham.org.

• GRAPHIC BY TAI GORDON

By Tai Gordon

Does China own you?

Most Riverside students are either obsessed with TikTok, or know someone who is.

The short-form video app is a cultural phenomenon, spawning countless trends and a new crop of internet mini-celebrities. Most people aren’t aware that TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company, which after purchasing Musical.ly in 2017, rebranded their app as TikTok and expanded into international markets. TikTok exploded in popularity, hitting 1.5 billion users overall. ByteDance was recently valued at $75 billion, making it the most valuable tech startup in the world.

If you’re anAmerican teen, chances are many of your apps are either partially or fully owned by a Chinese company. By subtly marketing their apps toAmericans and buying large shares of companies, China is increasingly involved in the US technology sector. Fan of mobile gaming? Chinese conglomerate Tencent owns the majority of Supercell, the company behind favorites such as Clash of Clans and Brawl Stars.

It also owns a 40 percent stake in Cary-based Fortnite creator Epic Games.

At a time when the US is economically

and culturally at odds with China, it seems strange that Chinese apps like TikTok are so successful in American markets. China’s meteoric growth is scaring Americans. This year, Trump’s long-escalating trade war has increased anti-China rhetoric and destabilized the countries’ relationship. Coupled with stimulating incredible economic growth, the Chinese government has a long history of human rights violations, supporting unethical business practices, propaganda, censorship, and surveillance technologies.

This is what makes the popularity of apps like TikTok so concerning. While Bytedance is technically a private company, Chinese law grants its government unlimited access to any information held by Bytedance which may have “military or intelligence significance.” In other words, there is no barrier between technology hosted on Chinese servers and Chinese state officials. Those who use technology to express concern about Chinese policies have long found themselves targeted by the government due to this fact.

The US, of course, has made some regulation efforts. Last month, a national security

Cont. on p.9

What's it going to take?

By Kaitlyn Busch

Whether you stayed at school all day, left because you felt unsafe, or even just took the drama as an opportunity to miss your last two classes, you were aware that our school day was disrupted on Wednesday, November 20 when Riverside was the subject of an unidentified threat.

It is easy, in the wake of an incident like this, to assign blame. However, the reality is that our teachers and administration shouldn’t have to debate what to tell their students. Students shouldn’t have to consider leaving school or text their parents that they are okay.

This incident should have been minor. We should have been able to accept that the threat was easily discredited and go on with our school day without concern, but we couldn’t. Why? Because we've been conditioned to feel an underlying sense of danger at school. When we are constantly hearing about violence at schools just like ours across the country, why wouldn’t we?

We feel powerless when it comes to our own safety, and it's not anyone at Riverside's fault.

When the best students can do is post about tragedy after tragedy on our Instagram stories,

we are left with fear - fear that we are being let down by people in power, fear that nothing we can do will make a difference, fear that we will become the next headline. Riverside can work to perfect our protocols in anticipation of future incidents, but it's a small, temporary attempt to solve a giant problem.

The power to change the culture that created this threat lies with our congressional representatives, who have proven time and time again that they do not value our lives over money. Their complacency is costing us our peace of mind.And it has cost students at schools like Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Marjorie Stoneman-Douglas much more.

So let’s demand action from the people who have the power to change the narrative. Let’s remember the fear and uncertainty we felt and use it to fuel our action. Let’s let the people in charge know that we want to get our education without feeling unsafe. Let’s share our opinions, call our senators, and be loud. Let’s encourage people who can vote to do so for those of us who can’t - because we, now more than ever, are feeling the impacts of choices being made for us.

By Javier Morales As I read the two worn goodbye cards and stared into a picture of what could've been my graduating class of about fifty students, I ponder what could've been and how far I’ve come.

We were back in Alabama when my parents had received the news; doctors had just diagnosed and confirmed one of her twin sons - my brother - had been born with a birth defect that causes infantile spasms which would progress into epilepsy and eventually autism.

My mother was torn. After continuous research and numerous calls, she found Duke University, which promised to offer the different diagnosis. My father, on the other hand, blocked the situation,turned everything towards work and became more absent.

My mother moved out in August 2017 and took my brothers with her while I stayed behind to finish drivers education to obtain my license, which she felt was important for me at the time.

Both parents had come to the conclusion that it was better for me to stay with my aunt for a while rather than the empty house filled with past memories of my childhood. With this realization, I experienced true loneliness for the first time.

Months later, I joined my mother, who had moved in with a relative in Durham, hoping to get the different diagnosis for my brother. My father stayed behind trying to keep his financial stability rather than his family. I was never close to him, but not having a father in a family of five kids, changes everyone. I had to adapt to a new high school and its culture, process my brothers diagnosis, and become the “man of the family” all at the age of 15 in my sophomore year.

I had no time to be sophomoric. Instead, I had to balance my social life, my family struggles, witness my mother go through poverty, finding small jobs, and trying to find us a home we could call our own. This had inspired me to get my first job because I wanted to help in any way I could. Soon enough, I had applied to about ten jobs in Durham, each involving around heavy labor, which I got rejected due to being underage.

I stumbled upon the company that transformed me into that “man of the family” character I was searching for: Sears.Sears was a struggling store in Northgate Mall looking for workers for it's home improvement department. Clueless in the begininng, I learned about various tools and unique parts for outdoor equipment.

There I evolved from the naive 15 year-old to a 17 year-old “tools guy” providing for his family while still attending high school. In addition, my mother found us a home, and I had saved just enough to buy my first car.

It’s been two years since I moved, and when I look in the mirror the person staring back at me is different from the one I saw in that old, rural town. That young sophomore has turned into a graduating senior, on his way to college and an engineering career. Even my family is different from the one that moved to Durham two years ago I now hear my brothers’ footsteps running around the kitchen as they chase each other in their game of tag while my parents converse about their day.

Durham gets plenty of criticism. Gentrification, gun violence and gangs leave some people wondering if living in this city is worth it. But for me, moving here changed my life for the better and grow as an individual.

Thank you, Durham, for everything.

December 2019

Hold off on the cheer....

By Jarek Harris

Ba humbug! Christmas can indeed be a beautiful thing for some, but for others it’s quite the opposite.

This time of the year can bring more problems to not only your wallet, but your health as well.

It is around this time that stress levels, drunk-driving-accidents, and property crimes spike. According to data put together by Buscar. nsw.gov, the number of break-ins increase the day and night of Christmas Eve. It’d be a shame if your family was the target of such a crime.

Robberies aren’t the only crimes people are going to have to worry about this year. The number of drunk drivers are also on the rise.

Alcohol consumption is nine times as high around the holidays. What good does this “holiday cheer” do? None at all. You just have an increased amount of drunk, possibly violent, and senseless residents roaming the streets, or worse, driving cars.

The overall meaning of Christmas has also changed, and it’s pretty evident what it’s all about now: PRESENTS! The night after St. Nick’s overnight trip is now about how much money someone gives or spends on a gift. For a lot of Americans, the meaning of Christmas is no longer about celebrating the birth of Christ, but the eagerness of getting to open presents.

It is for this exact reason that stress levels are high amongst adults during the holidays. The struggle to find the “right” gift can be frustrating and breaks parents down mentally.

Kids nowadays also expect a lot more than what they can handle.

They want iPhones, iPads, gaming consoles, etc. With commercials pushing their products heavily as early as October, and the constant begging from kids, adults feel a ton of pressure.

A Harvard Medical School survey showed that 62 percent of adults experience a slight to major increase in their daily stress around the end of the year.

Yes, seventy percent of Americans affiliate with some form of Christianity, but the other thirty percent are of another religion or no religion at all. According to Pewforum.org, there’s been an increase of younger people choosing to not associate with any religion.

Those who don't associate with any religion only give out gifts anyway.

Christmas is just another way for businesses to capitalize on the emotions and impulses of consumers. Corporations don’t care about the religious background or your well-being. They’re looking for a quick buck and they’ll get it, even if they have to play with your emotions.

Don't fall victim to capitalism this year.

Face Off:

Is Christmas worth celebrating?

3 'Tis the Season for a Reason!

By Dean Hunter Don’t be silly, Jarek. It’s called “the most wonderful time of the year” for a reason. Christmas is a fantastic holiday and dumping it would be a waste of culture and money.

The most obvious reason not to get rid of Christmas is the fact that nobody really wants to. I mean, seriously, what’s the point? Nine of ten Americans celebrate Christmas, according to Pew Research. They wouldn’t celebrate it if they didn’t want to. Not only is Christmas a fun and enjoyable holiday, it’s one of the few things all Americans can agree on. In a society that gets more and more divided by the day, why would we choose now of a l l times to abandon one of the few traditions that almost everyone

letters to the editor

celebrates?

Abig reason not to ditch Christmas is the economic benefits. According to Forbes,consumers spend $450 billion dollars every year on Christmas and related goods. That’s nearly half a trillion dollars a year that wouldn’t be put into the economy otherwise. And that massive spending increase isn’t just helping business. Christmas is far and away the most common time for sales of all types. TVs, cars, children’s toys, clothes, food, everything costs less during the holiday season. That saves consumers billions of dollars on goods they otherwise might not have even bought.

This doesn’t even consider the other economic effects of discarding the holiday. According to the National Retail Foundation, 25 percent of total retail spending comes during the holiday season. A 25 percent loss in yearly revenue would be devastating and likely sink many small businesses. Abandoning Christmas would also lead to ditching Black Friday (as they are related holidays), which would cut a lot of spending across the economic board.

And don’t get me started on the massive amount of cultural works that involve Christmas. There are mountains of movies, games, music, and foods that are Christmas themed.

Christmas is ingrained in our culture and it would be a waste to discard the many cultural traditions of the holidays.

So many Christmas icons would be abandoned should we ditch the holiday. Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and The Grinch are just a few examples.

Enjoying these characters is almost a rite of passage for our youth, and discarding them would be a huge mistake. It’s a near universal experience among our children, watching these movies with their families. Why bother trying to steal Christmas?

It is our job as people with An open letter to Dem- a reality show. Stop sacrificing downfalls, but I understand Stopping school vio- claimed that there was a fertilthat some of these issues are lence is a shared respon- izer bomb in the school since privilege and voice to vocalize your credibility for a laugh or ocratic candidates a Twitter Trending hashtag. a part of politics. Obviously, sibility he had make dark remarks our concerns and needs. Gun Dear candidates, The Fifth Democratic Debate that aired on November 20 can only be described by one word: underwhelming.

I went into the experience genuinely excited and ready to learn about the remaining candidates and their views.

However, I soon found myself exhausted of my tolerance for the repetition, pandering and nonsensical rhetoric spewed from everyone on that stage.

So, here is my advice to those who hope to hold our highest office in 2020.

First, we know you don’t like Trump. You’re running against him. Stop wasting your talking time talking about him.

Second, the debates are not

Those perks are temporary, but your policies should speak for themselves. (I’m looking at you Cory Booker, laughing about your opponent being under the influence of a drug and then trying to bring it back to white privilege is not a good look) Finally, respect the platform you are given. Moderators choose questions based on the most pressing issues and what will be most helpful in your term. It doesn’t help anyone when you intentionally avoid giving a straight answer in order to make the issue more favorable for you.

I could write a very long letter about each and every one of the candidates and their

you want yourself to sound likable and unproblematic for the sake of electability. However, my concern begins when the avoidance of certain topics borders on untruthfulness. We are in a political climate that quite frankly, we have never faced before. What we need now, more than anything, is to be able to trust the 2020 nominee to truly represent the American people.

I am a die-hard democrat and will support any candidate that takes on President Trump.

What I will not support is time-wasting attempted comedy, exploitation of minorities and empty promises.

-Eva Egeghy, Sophomore

Following the recent/ongoing concern of the threat(s) I felt it was necessary to share my experience and wisdom on the topic of mass violence at school.

Before I was at Riverside I attended Perkins-Tryon High school in Oklahoma. A friend of mine had been experiencing ongoing home struggles, mental health crisis and lack of stability at school. I had disconnected with him due to his absence in school. It was a few months after losing touch that he had a gun which he threatened to use on kids/ teacher at school.

He was arrested and we were not allowed on campus for 72 hours. Many students

and inappropriate jokes in the past. With threats at the nearby schools and the country having been at its peak we were engrossed in fear and concern.

The district’s lack of communication and the confusion that followed only caused fear and false information. To follow, he was later released without charges in less than a week.

It’s a complex issue we are dealing with and the debate between threats, actions and failed attempts are all being highlighted, including threats at Riverside, Jordan, the recent incidents in California, as well as the countless others in the past year(s). Students and faculty are still at unease.

violence, domestic disputes resulting in violence, injustice and brutality are all dangers to our safety and rights. Registering to vote and ratification in the community and bigger picture is an ideal start. Our schools, community and youth should feel safe in an area like the Triangle.

Nevertheless, from an individual with grim experience in both the city and rural areas I have seen how violence can denigrate a great community.

Open discussions, law ratification, mental health options and overall candidness in the district will assure some sort of change.

- Isaiah Strickland, senior

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Pirates' Hookok

RHS JROTC inspected by Air Force Major

By Cristela Vargas

On November 14, all Riverside Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets - even Major Roger Bailey and Sergeant Gerald Mitchell - were inspected.

Retired US Air Force major Rob Adkins inspected all 100-plus cadets during first period. Adkins supervises high school JROTC programs throughout the Southeastern US. JROTC follows the same evaluation checklist as all other high school programs. There are four possible ratings: exceeds standards, meets standards, meets standards with discrepancy, and does not meet standards.

On a normal inspection day, Major Bailey and Gerald Mitchell usually inspect uniforms in small groups throughout the day during their ROTC classes. They check hair, making sure that boys keep theirs above the collar and girls are required to have a tight bun. Cadets must also keep their hats on the belt, shoes shined, and wear a white t-shirt with no logos, black socks, their name tag, ribbons straight and in the correct order and a tie tied correctly.

But this time Adkins inspected all students at the same time, which meant over 100 kids had to stand at attention, silent and completely still, for over 90 minutes.

After the inspection, Adkins spoke to the entire group. He shared stories from his own childhood and experience in the Air Force and encouraged Riverside cadets to take advantage of every opportunity.

“It doesn’t matter where you come from, where your family comes from,

By Julien Cox

• PHOTO BY CAMRYN ATKINSON

Senior Mariah Harrington waits for retired Air Force major Rob Adkins to inspect her. Over 100 students stood for 90 minutes during the special inspection, which occurs every three years. what you drive or how much money Perez, who serves as the director of presentation and they also get their you’ve got,” Adkins said. “What matsupport, also received awards for their uniforms inspected like any other ters is the talent you have. If you don’t overall performance. cadet would. know, figure it out or else someone will “Ben and Anthony have gone above During third period C-flight gave figure it out for you.” and beyond. They’ve been working Adkins the mission briefing. Led by After his talk, the sophomore cadets their butts off,” Harrington said. “Angroup commander Mariah Harrington, did their 30-step drill sequence. Adkins thony had to do whole inspections by C-flight is a group of seniors who hold was very impressed. himself, and Ben helped him. They’re leadership positions, like chaplain, “You guys just owned it,” he said. also doing the mission briefing. They physical training officer, academics “I’ve seen kids march too fast, I’ve made [today’s inspection] possible officer and director of operations. seen them run into the wall of the gym, for us.”

C-flight shared this year’s goals, morph into two different groups. But During fourth period Major Bailey future plans and how they will achieve you guys, I’m telling you, were a near shared the inspection results with them. perfect performance.” cadets.

“I was so nervous, excited and anxDuring second period Adkins evalThis year they met standards but ious,” said senior Anthony Escoto, who uated Major Bailey’s and Sergeant did not exceed, which means Adkins serves as deputy group commander.

Mitchell’s teaching. will be back in three years for another “But I have a lot of confidence in this The two of them each took a turn inspection. group, especially the mission briefing.” leading the class through a PowerPoint Anthony Escoto and senior Ben

JROTC de RHS inspeccionado por el comandante de la Fuerza Aérea Por Cristela Vargas El 14 de noviembre, todos los cadetes del Cuerpo de Entrenamiento de Oficiales de Reserva Junior de Riverside (JROTC, por sus siglas en inglés), incluso el Mayor Roger Bailey y el Sargento Gerald Mitchell, fueron inspeccionados.

El mayor retirado de la Fuerza Aérea de los EE. UU., Rob Adkins, inspeccionó a más de 100 cadetes durante el primer período. Adkins supervisa los programas JROTC de la escuela secundaria en todo el sureste de los EE. UU. JROTC sigue la misma lista de verificación de evaluación que todos los demás programas de preparatoria.

Hay cuatro clasificaciones posibles: excede los estándares, cumple con los estándares, cumple con los estándares con discrepancia y no cumple con los estándares.

En un día normal de inspección, el

Vaping problems spark meeting

Major Bailey y Gerald Mitchell generalmente inspeccionan uniformes en pequeños grupos durante todo el día durante sus clases de ROTC. Revisan el cabello, asegurándose de que los varones lo mantengan por encima del cuello y las mujeres tengan un moño apretado. Los cadetes también deben mantener sus sombreros en el cinturón, zapatos lustrados y usar una camiseta blanca sin logotipos, calcetines negros, su etiqueta con su nombre, cintas rectas y en el orden correcto y una corbata atada correctamente.

Pero esta vez Adkins inspeccionó a todos los estudiantes al mismo tiempo, lo que significa que más de 100 estudiantes tuvieron que estar atentos, en silencio y completamente quietos, durante más de 90 minutos.

Después de la inspección, Adkins habló con todo el grupo. Compartió historias de su propia infancia y experiencia en la Fuerza Aérea y alentó a los cadetes de Riverside a aprovechar

cada oportunidad.

“No importa de dónde vienes, de dónde viene tu familia, qué manejas o cuánto dinero tienes”, dijo Adkins. “Lo que importa es el talento que tienes.

Si no lo sabes, descúbrelo o alguien lo resolverá por ti “.

Después de su charla, los cadetes de segundo año hicieron su secuencia de ejercicios de 30 pasos Adkins quedó muy impresionado.

“Ustedes simplemente lo poseían”, dijo. “He visto a los niños marchar demasiado rápido, los he visto correr contra la pared del gimnasio, transformarse en dos grupos diferentes. Pero ustedes, les digo, fueron una actuación casi perfecta “.

Durante el segundo período, Adkins evaluó las enseñanzas del mayor Bailey y el sargento Mitchell. Los dos tomaron un turno para dirigir a la clase a través de una presentación de PowerPoint y también fueron inspeccionados como cualquier otro cadete.

Durante el tercer período, C-flight dio a Adkins la sesión informativa de su misión. Dirigido por la comandante del grupo, Mariah Harrington, C-flight es un grupo de estudiantes de último año que ocupan puestos de liderazgo, como capellán, oficial de entrenamiento físico, oficial académico y director de operaciones. , C-flight compartió los objetivos de este año, los planes futuros y cómo los alcanzarán.tan nervioso, emocionado y ansioso”, dijo el estudiante de último año Anthony Escoto, quien se desempeña como comandante adjunto del grupo. “Pero tengo mucha confianza en este grupo, especialmente en la sesión informativa de la misión”.

Anthony Escoto y el estudiante de cuarto año Ben Perez, quien se desempeña como director de apoyo, también recibieron premios por su alto desempeño general. posible [la inspección de hoy].“ Traducido por Ashley Gonzalez

Vaping remains a problem at Riverside and high schools all around the US, but principal Tonya Williams is fighting back.

On November 19, Williams met with students, parents and medical professionals to discuss what needs to be done to fight the vaping epidemic.

The meeting featured a student panel that talked about vaping from their view as highschoolers. In addition, Dr. Ilonia Jaspers, a professor at the Department of Pediatrics at UNC, and Elise Hickman, a Ph.D. candidate at UNC, gave insights into how medical professionals are dealing with vaping outside of school.

Cheryl Parsons, Riverside’s nurse, mediated the event. One of the main points of the meeting was to help parents gain more information about vaping and its presence in school. To begin the conversation, panelists discussed what kind of groups they felt were vaping.

The panelists agreed that it was not a particular group per say, but vaping often starts with one person in a friend group and it spreads among the friend group.

The panel all felt most teachers and parents could recognize if a person was vaping by now because of its distinct smell, but not all parents could recognize the actual device. How minors acquire vapes was also a topic of discussion.

The most common way teenagers get their vapes, they said, was just by asking older people to buy it for them. Some stores will also sell it to minors without checking age. Mutters broke out among the parents at this.

After the student panel, Dr. Jaspers, shared her vaping research.

“I’m an inhalation toxicologist by training,” said Jaspers, “so I take a look a look at everything that comes into your lungs whether it’s air pollution, combustion exhaust, or cigarette smoke or now vaping. I have a twelfth grader at home and I have an eleventh grader at home.

When the first people started dying and we started having all these cases reported from this vaping associated lung injury, that struck a nerve with me.”

Jaspers then explained an experiment she and her assistant, Elise Hickman, did with the “e-liquid” found in vape pods containing the chemical cinnamaldehyde which is what gives cinnamon its flavor and also gives cinnamon flavored vapes their flavor.

“We took cinnamon flavored e-liquids,” she said. “We literally just put it on the plastic [petri dishes], walked away, and then came back two and a half hours [later]. What do you think may have happened? These are really really aggressive chemicals, they melted the plastic.”

k

December 2019

5

New bell, "who dis?"

Homicides rise again in 2019

By Janel Perry and Jakyies Evans

2019 has been one of the deadliest in Durham’s history.

This year alone there have been 35 recorded homicides.

A 24-hour stretch on Oct. 28 and 29 was especially deadly, when back-toback, gang-related shootings left two dead and eight injured. The first string of shootings happened the night of October 28 in the 1200 block of Wabash Street.

Two men were shot at from a dark-colored car. Bullets hit one person in the hand and the other in the leg.

Six minutes later a second shooting happened at North Dillard and Liberty St. Three people were shot at from another dark-colored car, leaving one dead and two injured.

The following Tuesday 17-year-old Zaeveon Hershel Tucker, a former Riverside student, was killed at 2pm on the 100 block of North Driver St. Police say that he was shot while crossing the street. He collapsed in the front yard of the Shepherds House United Methodist Church and was pronounced dead at

the scene.

Three hours later police arrived at the scene of a fourth shooting on the corner of Watts St. and Club Blvd. across from Northgate Mall, where they found one man with non-fatal injuries.

Later that day another man with a gunshot wound and a woman injured by flying debris arrived at Duke regional hospital.

The 8-day stretch added emphasis to an already deadly year. The U.S. homicide rate has been declining but three times higher than other countries, according to ourworldindata.org.

Guns and Gangs have been the main causes.

“The increase in homicides has to do with our gang-related activity and so on,” said police chief Cerelyn “C.J” Davis while presenting the report at a November city council meeting.

In response to the increase in homicides, Durham police created a “gang task force” to stop the violence in Durham.

“It’s our hope that directing more focused investigative efforts towards gang members,” said Davis following the killing of nine-year-old Z’yon Person

in August.

Gun violence and homicides are not just Durham problems. There were 19,980 homicides in the U.S. in 2017, according to the Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network. The national homicide rate was 6.2 per 100,000 households, according to CDC. North Carolina’s homicide rate in 2017 was 6.9, and Durham’s was 8.55, a 35 percent decline from 2015, but it increased 42 percent to 12.05, and 2019’s rate will be even higher.

2019 marks the third year in a row that Durham’s homicide rate increased. There were nearly half as many homicides in Durham in 2018 (32) than 2017 (18).

This spikes stands out, since violent crime as a whole has gone down 17 percent. Durham’s population has also increased, which typically increases a city’s total number of crimes committed.

According to Wallet Hub, Durham is the forty-sixth safest city in America. Three other NC cities - Winston-Salem (21), Raleigh (22) and Charlotte (53) - are also in the top 100.

estudiante de Riverside, fue disparado a las 2 de la tarde cuando cruzaba la calle North Driver en la centésima cuadra. Colapsó frente la iglesia Shepherds House United Methodist y fue pronunciado muerto en la escena.

Tres horas después, la policía llegó a la escena de un cuarto tiroteo en la esquina de la calle Watts y Club boulevard del otro lado del centro comercial Northgate, donde encontraron a un hombre con heridas no fatales.

Más tarde ese mismo día un hombre con una herida de bala y una mujer con heridas por causa de escombros voladores llegaron al hospital regional de Duke.

Esos ocho días añadieron más énfasis a un año ya mortal. El índice de homicidios en los estados unidos a estado bajando pero es tres veces más elevado en Carolina del Norte que en otros estados, de acuerdo con ourworldindata.org.

Pistolas y pandillas han sido las causas principales.

“El aumento de homicidios tiene que ver con actividades relacionadas con pandillas, etcétera,” dijo el jefe de policía Cerelyn “CJ” Davis mientras presentaba un reporte en una reunión del concejo municipal en noviembre.

En respuesta al aumento de homicidios, la policía de Durham a creado una “fuerza contra pandillas” para detener la violencia en Durham.

“Es nuestra ilusión dirigir más enfoque y esfuerzo contra los miembros de pandillas,” dijo el jefe de policía CJ Davis después del asesinato de Z’yon Person de nueve años en agosto.

Homicidios y la violencia con armas de fuego no solo son problemas en Durham. Hubieron 19,980 homicidios en los Estados Unidos en el año 2017, de acuerdo con el Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network. El índice nacional de homicidios en los

Students, faculty voice support, opposition

• GRAPHIC BY JANEL PERRY

Homicidios suben en el 2019

Por Janel Perry y Jakyies Evans

El año 2019 ha sido uno de los más mortales en la historia de Durham En solo este año, se han registrado 35 homicidios.

En un periodo de 24 horas, el 28 y 29 de octubre fueron especialmente brutales cuando tiroteos consecutivos relacionados con pandillas dejaron dos muertos y ocho heridos. La primera sarta de tiroteos paso en la noche del 28 de octubre en la cuadra de la calle 1200 Wabash. Dos hombres fueron baleados por alguien en un carro oscuro hiriendo a uno en la mano y al otro en la pierna.

Seis minutos después, un segundo tiroteo ocurrió en la calle North Dillard y Liberty. Tres personas fueron baleadas por alguien en un carro oscuro, dejando a uno muerto y a dos heridos.

El siguiente martes Zaeveon Hershel Tucker de 17 años, anteriormente un

Estados Unidos era 6.2 por 100,000 hogares según la CDC. El índice de homicidios en Carolina del Norte para el año 2017 era 6.9 y en Durham 8.55, un descenso de 35% desde el año 2015.

Pero subió por 42% a 12.05, el índice del año 2019 será aún más alto.

El año 2019 marca el tercer año consecutivo que el índice de homicidios ha subido. Hubieron 50% más homicidios realizados en Durham en el 2018 (32) que en el 2017 (18).

Los aumentos son evidentes, ya que el crimen violento a bajado un 17%.

La población de Durham ha subido, típicamente subiendo el número de crimen cometido en la ciudad. Según WalletHub, Durham es la 46a ciudad más segura en los Estados Unidos.

Otras tres ciudades de Carolina del Norte - Winston Salem (21), Raleigh (22) y Charlotte (53) - también están entre las 100 más seguras Traducido por Juliana .Castillo

Thank you Hook sponsors!

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To become a sponsor email bryan_christopher@dpsnc.net

By Ana Ruiz Complaints have been made about the new bell, which changed this past month, and there are various opinions as to whether the new bell should stay or not.

On Thursday, November 14, the new tone was introduced to Riverside staff and students. The School Improvement Team (SIT) voted on the new bell.

“Of the six we could choose from… this was the least kind of offensive one,” said English Mary Foster.

Since it was first introduced it has received both positive and negative critiques, but most students seem to not be happy with it.

“I think it’s loud and obnoxious,” said junior Katie Kelly. “No bells are gonna be good, but it’s not any better [than the old one].”

There have also been more neutral opinions, like junior Leo Smith’s.

“It’s ok I guess," said Smith. "I liked the old one better though. It just sounds better.”

Most of the positive feedback regarding the new bell comes from Riverside staff.

“I think it is a little calmer,” said Foster, who also thinks the negative feedback comes from teenagers who just like to complain. “We’ve had a number of students who are complaining and very upset, but I think most of that is because they hate change.”

Among teachers, there is some disagreement about the new bell. EC MU teacher Nicholas Flippen voted for the new bell because he thought the previous one was awful. Some teachers such as Ms. Webley prefer the old bell over the new one.

“I didn’t like [the old bell], but I hate this," Webley said. "So give me what I don’t like versus what I hate.”

6 Pirates' Hookok

7

the 2010's

Riverside Decides:

The best of 2019 Movie of the year

looking back at the decade with 2020 vision

by Jacob Hindman

2010

2012

2014

2016

• Instagram was released and gained one million users in the first two months • On April 22, over 200 gallons of oil were spilled along the Gulf of Mexico, affecting 1100 miles of coastline.

• First generation iPad released. It was Apple’s first tablet product.

• Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American teenager, was shot and killed on February 26 by George Zimmerman.

• A tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, killing 20 firstgraders and 6 staff, triggers a nationwide debate over gun control • "Gangnam Style" becomes the most viewed YouTube video ever

• Rapper Silentó popularizes the nae nae dance • The movie Frozen is released.

Its soundtrack becomes the highest-earning album of the year • Terrorist group ISIS rises in power • The Ebola epidemic becomes a global health hazard

• Sightings and reports of people dressed as clowns terrorizing locals spread across the country • After a controversial candidacy, Donald Trump became the fifth president to win the electoral college without winning the popular vote.

• Pokemon Go is released and quickly becomes a global phenomenon

2011 • Adele’s sophomore album, ‘21,’ is the best selling album of the decade and the 21st century.

• On May 2, Osama bin Laden, responsible for the attacks of 9/11, was found and executed by Navy SEALs. • Snapchat was released on July 11.

By the next year, 400 million snaps were being sent every day.

2013 • On April 15, two bombs were detonated during the Boston Marathon, killing three people and wounding 14.

• The hashtag and international movement #BlackLivesMatter is created, in response to police brutality against black people.

2015 • The Supreme Court makes gay marriage legal across the country.

• The Ice Bucket challenge helps raise over $115,000,000 in research and patient services for people diagnosed with ALS. • On November 13, a series of coordinated bombing and mass shootings across Paris is commited by ISIS, killing 130 people

design by Tai Gordon

2018 • In California, 8,527 wildfires burned 1,893,913 acres of land • The federal government started what would be the longest government shutdown in US history over a dispute about funding for the border wall • Meghan Markle marries Prince Henry and announces her pregnancy later in the year

2017 • Over 4 million people participated in the Women’s March on Washington, advocating against the current president’s inauguration and for women’s rights.

• Sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein, inspires the global #MeToo movement • Vine shuts down on January 17

2019 • Nancy Pelosi initiated impeachment proceedings against Trump after reports of illegal dealings with Ukraine • Over one million people signed up for a Facebook event titled, “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” • Trump orders the withdrawal of troops from Syria

1. Avengers Endgame (41.9%) 2. Joker 3. Us 4. It: Chapter 2 5. Midsommar

Song of the year

1. EARFQUAKE - Tyler, the Creator (25.8%) 2. Truth Hurts - Lizzo 3. Old Town Road - Lil Nas X 4. Ransom - Lil Tecca 5. Hot - Young Thug (ft. Gunna)

Album of the year

1. WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP (...) - Billie Eilish (26.4%) 2. Baby on Baby - Dababy 3. IGOR - Tyler, The Creator 4. Hollywood's Bleeding Post Malone 5. Drip or Drown 2 - Gunna

Meme of the year

1. Spongebob memes (48.4%)

2. Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good 3. Big Chungus 4. Raiding Area 51 5. Vibe check Source: online form sent to RHS students

Student Feed: What defined the decade for you?

8

The evolution of a threat

From pay phones and bomb threats to gun violence and social media, violent threats have changed

By Eva Flowe

It wasn’t the first, and it won’t be the last.

On Wednesday, November 20, there was an unsubstantiated rumor about a threat of violence at Riverside High School. Many students went home, causing a major disruption in the school day. By three o’clock the News & Observer had posted a story about concern from parents on social media.

The next day someone threatened to “shoot up” Jordan High School in an Instagram post. Students were on lockdown for part of the day, according to WRAL. While threats of mass violence did not appear on social media platforms until recently, Durham Public Schools (DPS) has had issues with threats of violence at its high schools for more than 30 years.

The earliest threats took the form of students calling in bomb threats, often from payphones, at high schools in DPS and across the US. “Bomb threats we were never really afraid of,” said English teacher Mary Foster, who attended Northern High School in the 1980s. “You just had to [evacuate] in order to be safe.”

Several Riverside faculty mem-

bers who were teachers and students at the time said their schools and classmates were never deeply afraid of the bomb threats. Social studies teacher Rebecca Stone, who attended Jordan from 19992003, remembers evacuating onto the football field, and often staying there for a couple class periods. “[It happened] mostly post 9/11,” Stone said. “When I was a junior, there would be a bomb threat and you either went to the soccer field, on the field itself, or to the football field, but not to the bleachers.”

But the threats have evolved with time. The emergence of social media and the increase in school shootings around the country brought more threats in the 2010s.

Additionally, threats of violence have increased significantly since the Parkland shooting in 2018, according to The News & Observer.

Students now take the threats more seriously and feel afraid when they occur.

On Nov. 20 many RHS students were frightened enough to leave school, and many of their parents were frightened enough to leave work and pick them up. Over 250 students were checked out at the front office computers by parents, and more left at lunch and never returned.

Senior Jalyssa Davis was

working in the front office on the twentieth when students began leaving en masse.

“They were really nervous and they were yelling,” Davis said.

“Parents were frustrated by the long lines and didn’t get the information they needed to hear.”

The threat and knowledge of school shootings is also much more real to students now, according to many teachers.

“Now the guns, the anger and the frustration are so prolific that it is statistically more likely to happen,” Foster said.

“I think social media in particular, whether you are the person who turns in a threat or just see a post about a threat, has changed this a lot,” Stone said. “Phones are a very personal piece of tech, and you can personally see the threat.”

In addition to DPS’ two mass violence threats to high schools in the last 20 days, a student at Wakefield High School in Raleigh placed a false 911 call describing an active shooter on December 5.

“I think a lot of it has to do with people terrorizing other people and wanting control over them." said Foster. "So, whoever’s doing it gets a kick out of watching the rest of us squirm and changing our lives. So, I don’t know if there will be more of them or not.”

What were threats of violence like when you were in school?

“When I was a student, you couldn't trace phone calls. When I was in middle school during the 70’s, there was a bomb threat 2 to 3 times a year. Everyone knew the threats were fake and were just to get out of class, but it still caused a headache for teachers and administrators.”

- Assistant principal Craig Carlson

“When I was a freshman at ECU in 2011, there was a rumor of a gunman on campus. People were very scared. A SWAT team came and I was locked in my classroom for five hours. I called my mom and told her the check the news and called my aunt, who lived in Greenville.”

- Social studies teacher Gabrielle Minnick “When I was in highschool

in 2006-2010, bomb threats were made to get out of class. Everyone knew that they weren’t real though. no one actually believed them to be real.

But policy forced them to address it as if it was a real threat.”

- English teacher Victoria Watson

Eat dinner at Chipotle (2608 Erwin Rd.) on Wednesday, Dec. 11 and support The Pirates' Hook!

740 9th St. Durham, NC 27705 (919)286-2884

k

December 2019

Tik Tok Cont. from p. 2

investigation was opened on TikTok. Lawmakers have raised concern over censorship on the app, particularly on content that goes against the Chinese government’s narrative. For example, politicians have noticed the lack of content on the app about the ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong or Muslim internment camps in China, which might paint China as authoritarian. There is also fear that the app will contribute to the spread of political misinformation, similar to Facebook’s role in the 2016 presidential elections.

This legislative response may be too little and too late. We’ve already seen how China responds when provoked by their American investments. In October, when Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted in support of the Hong Kong protests, backlash from Chinese companies and organizations was immediate. Fearing the withdrawal of investments from these powerful stakeholders, the NBA denounced Morey, distanced itself from the situation and effectively set a precedent, showing how dangerous it is to give foreign companies too much economic leverage in American institutions.

Beijing can essentially export censorship and propaganda, and US businesses are too dependent on their money to take a stand.

But why should teenagers care? Taking a personal stand against technocracy is inconvenient and can feel pointless. Most people are willing to sacrifice privacy for convenience and enjoyment, continuing to use products like Facebook regardless of their widely-known unethical use of personal data. While American teens shouldn’t be held responsible for allowing Chinese companies to become so entrenched in the technosphere, there needs to be more conversation on the digital habits of young people.

Put more thought into which apps they choose to give their information and time. If having your personal data harvested from your iPhone by a foreign government doesn’t scare you, being limited in the content you can post and your sense of freedom online should.

9

On a holiday budget? That's not a problem

By Drew Marley

GIFT SHOP IDEAS

Winter break.The season of joy and giving.

The time when family and friends come together to celebrate various holidays.

However, making the most out of the holidays with gifts and fun events can be a pricey and cliche endeavor. To make the most out of it, take advantage of the abundance of activities and shops in Durham.

EVENT IDEAS

Christmas by the Candlelight - The Duke Homestead State Historic Site is hosting an exhibit about our incredible city’s history. On December 13, candlelight tours will enlighten Civil War exhibits that show our remarkable transition to a strong tobacco industry. Bring family and friends to celebrate our 150th anniversary and bundle up for the Tour of Bull Dreams.

Motorco - Motorco Music Hall is known downtown as a prime location for people, young and old (especially hipsters). Bring your parents or grandparents here for eats such as the Canuck poutine and seared tuna sliders. Concerts are held in an indoor venue right next to the restaurant and bar. Artists who have performed here include J.I.D, Earthgang, Lute and Talib Kweli.

Morgan Imports - Local shopping can offer much more fun with gifts than just the regular Macy’s and Hallmark options, and holiday gifts could not come easier shopping at Morgan Imports. Located in Brightleaf Square, the festive store will put anyone into the holiday spirit.

The store offers gift options for all ages like

toys for children, fun family games, decorative christmas lights and ornaments, holiday gift cards, clothing, and much more.

Vaguely Reminiscent - Vaguely is a small store on Ninth Street known for its vast selection of quirky gifts and gadgets, many of which are handmade. From premium handbags to intricate jewelry, it’s the perfect spot for stocking stuffers.

GIFT IDEAS

Amazon Fire TV Stick (3rd Generation) - $29.99 - The Amazon firestick is the best value streaming device on the market. The firestick has the lowest price compared to most of its other competitors like Apple TV ($150), chromecast ($35), Roku’s Premiere and other high quality devices ($40-$100).

Amazon’s product is also more durable and has a longer lifespan than other streaming products.

This is a great gift for friends and loved ones as it will give them an endless source of entertainment while only requiring a TV and internet.

Gifts.com Customizable Insulated Tumbler - $34.99 - The perfect gift for any friend or relative with a raging caffeine addiction who wants their own personal flare. It will keep any drink cold or warm for longer peri• PHOTO BY IKEY HARRISON ods, and nothing says “I care” like a coffee This is Vaguely Reminiscent, a small store that sells unique mug with the name of the family dog. and gadget gifts. Located on Ninth Street, it is a terrific spot to suprise someone with a special local gift.

En un presupuesto? no hay problema

con regalos y eventos divertidos puede ser una agenda costosa. Puedes aprovecharlo al máximo Durante las vacaciones de invierno, es la con la abundancia de actividades y tiendas que temporada de alegría y generosidad donde hay en Durham. familiares y amigos celebran varias fiestas. Sin Lista de eventos embargo, aprovechar al máximo sus vacaciones Christmas By Candlelight - El sitio histórico Por Drew Marley

estatal de Duke Homestead esta organizado una exposición fascinante sobre la increíble historia de nuestra ciudad. Los días 6 y 13 de diciembre, los recorridos a la luz de las velas iluminarán las exhibiciones de guerra civil que muestran nuestra notable transición a una fuerte industria del tabaco. Traiga a su familia y amigos para celebrar nuestro 150 aniversario y abríguese para la gira de sus sueños de toros.

Motorco - Motorco music hall es conocido por que esta en el centro de durham, es un lugar perfecto para hipsters, hippies y ancianos que quieran estar a la moda.

Traiga a sus padres o abuelos aquí para disfrutar de delicias comidas.

Los conciertos se llevan a cabo en un lugar cubierto

justo al lado del restaurante y bar.

Lista de la tienda de regalos

Morgan Imports - Los regalos navideños no podrían ser más fáciles al comprar en Morgan Imports. Localizado en Brightleaf Square un lugar de compras bellamente festivo, la tienda pondrá a cualquiera que camine en el espíritu festivo.

Vaguely Reminiscent- Vaguely es una tienda pequeña en Ninth street conocida por su amplia selección de regalos y artilugios extravagantes, muchos de los cuales están hechos a mano.

Ideas de regalos

Amazon Fire Stick (3rd Generation) - $29.99The Amazon Fire Stick es el mejor dispositivo de transmisión de valor en el mercado. El Fire stick tiene tiene el precio más bajo en comparación con la mayoría de los otros tiene el precio más bajo comparado a los demás competidores como Apple TV ($150), Chromecast ($35), y Roku Premiere y otros dispositivos de alta calidad ($40- $100). El producto de Amazon también es más duradero y tiene una vida útil más larga que otros productos de transmisión.

Este es un buen regalo para amigos y seres queridos ya que les brindara una fuente interminable de entretenimiento mientras solo un televisor e internet.

Gifts.com Vaso aislado personalizable- $34.99 - El regalo perfecto para cualquier amigo o ser querido con una adicción a la caffeina que quiere su propio toque personal. Mantendrá cualquier bebida fría o tibia por períodos más largos, y nada dice “me importa” como una taza de café con el nombre del perro de la familia.

Traducido por Katherine Aparicio Pereyra

Pirates' Hookok

10

Los mas rapidos de Riverside

No importa la temporada, los Piratas tienen velocidad en exhibición Por Braeden Hilliard

• PHOTO BY BRAEDEN HILLIARD

Renn Cutick (left) and Ryan Weaver(right). Despite their size difference, they are two of the top athletes at Riverside.

Riverside's fastest

No matter the season, the Pirates have speed on display

By Braeden Hilliard Seniors Taylor Healy and Jordan Landis have both set records for the school in cross country and track.

To many it seems like they grew up running. However, this was neither of their first sports.

Healy did not start any type of running until he was cut from the soccer team his freshman year.

“I knew a bunch of my friends were doing cross country and seemed to like it a lot,” Healy said.

It began as something he did just for fun, but soon he realized that he was very good at it. By his junior year, Healy was one of the top runners in Durham, posting a 16:02 5K and a 4:32 mile time.

Similar to Healy, Landis’ first sport was not any type of running. She began her running career in middle school, when her parents wanted her to do cross country to stay in shape for basketball season.

“I’ve always been a person that is drawn to competition, so this fit really well for me," she said.

It also did not take long for her to realize that she was extremely good at this competition. This propelled her into running both track and cross country at Riverside.

Her top times thus far are a 18:56 5K in cross country and a 2:21 800 meter for track. This helped her get a chance to continue running in college on scholarship. She signed with UNC Charlotte on November 26.

Moving from the track to the pool, sophomore Ryan Weaver is already competing at a high level.

Ryan Weaver (top), pushes off to start a backstroke race. Both of Weaver's • PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN WEAVER parents swam in college.

Unlike Healy and Landis, Weaver media from the Universities of Tenneshas been swimming ever since he see and Louisville. His ultimate goal is was able to. A major reason for this is to “compete at the highest level possible both of his parents swam in college at for as long as possible.”

Sophomore Renn Cutick also moves Penn State.

Weaver credited a lot of his success fast in her sport, but in a different way to this, as well as putting himself in than the three previous athletes. Cutick with the right group of people that also is a gymnast who is in a similar position as Weaver. intend to strive to be the best.

She started off as a three year old with Despite being just a sophomore, Weaver has already qualified for a “way too much energy,” her parents couple competitions at the regional and constantly tell her.

She is also already one of the best in national levels. He is ranked ninth in North Carolina overall and one hun- the area. Last year she was invited to a National competition. Cutick’s top dredth nationwide in his grade.

Weaver’s top events so far are a 20.83 two events are bars and floor, both of second 50 yard freestyle and a 49.86 which require a high level of skill to second 100 yard backstroke. To put that score well in. in perspective, to qualify for the AAU In addition to skill, she must rotate Junior Olympic games in 2019 a 15-18 and torque her body at incredible year old swimmer needs a 30.19 in the speeds. Gymnasts must rotate at 635 50 free and a 1:14.69 backstroke. He is degrees per second to pull off just one well past those marks already. front flip. However, on bars they will Weaver cannot yet be contacted by often twist and do multiple flips at the any colleges, as he is still a sophomore, same time. but has seen some interest on his social

esto es que sus padres nadaron en la universidad en Penn State.

Weaver atribuyó gran parte de su éxito a esto, así como también se puso en contacto con el grupo adecuado de personas que también tienen la intención de esforzarse por ser lo mejor que puedan ser.

A pesar de ser solo un estudiante de segundo año, Weaver ya se ha clasificado para un par de competiciones a nivel regional y nacional. Ocupa el noveno puesto en Carolina del Norte y el centésimo en todo el país en su grado.

Weaver aún no puede ser contactado por ninguna universidad, ya que todavía es un estudiante de segundo año, pero ha visto cierto interés en sus redes sociales de las Universidades de Tennessee y Louisville. Su objetivo final es "competir al más alto nivel posible durante el

Los estudiantes de último año Taylor Healy y Jordan Landis han establecido récords para la escuela en el campo y en la pista. Para muchos parece que crecieron corriendo. Sin embargo, este no fue ninguno de sus primeros deportes.

Healy no comenzó ningún tipo de carrera hasta que fue excluido del equipo de fútbol en su primer año.

"Sabía que muchos de mis amigos estaban haciendo cross country y parecía gustarles mucho", dijo Healy.

Comenzó como algo que hizo solo por diversión, pero pronto se dio cuenta de que era muy bueno en eso.

En su tercer año, Healy era uno de los competidores principales en Durham para el campo a través, registrando un tiempo de 16:02 5K y un tiempo de 4:32 milla.

Al igual que Healy, el primer deporte de Jordan Landis no fue ningún tipo de carrera. Comenzó su carrera como corredora en la escuela secundaria, cuando sus padres querían que hiciera cross country para mantenerse en forma para la temporada de baloncesto.

Landis inmediatamente le gustó el cross country, principalmente por el aspecto competitivo. "He • PHOTO COURTESY OF RENN CUTICK sido una persona que Sophomore Renn Cutick spinning on a bar. The parallel se siente atraída por bars is her best event. la competencia, así que esto encaja muy bien para mí.".Tampoco tardó mucho mayor tiempo posible". en darse cuenta de que era extremaRenn Cutick también se mueve rápido damente buena en esta competencia. en su deporte, pero de manera diferente Esto la impulsó a correr tanto en pista a los tres atletas anteriores. Cutick es como a campo traviesa en Riverside. una gimnasta que está en una posición Sus mejores tiempos hasta el mo- similar a Weaver. mento son 18:56 5K en campo traviesa Comenzó a los tres años de edad con y 2:21 800 metros para pista. Esto la "demasiada energía". ayudó a tener la oportunidad de seguir Cutick también es una estudiante de corriendo en UNC Charlotte con una segundo año, pero sigue siendo una de beca. Ella firmo su carta de compro- las mejores en el área. El año pasado fue miso el 26 de Noviembre. invitada a un concurso nacional. Los dos Pasando de la pista a la piscina, el eventos principales de Cutick son barras estudiante de segundo año Ryan Weav- y piso, los cuales requieren un alto nivel er ya está compitiendo a un alto nivel. de habilidad para anotar bien. Además A diferencia de Healy y Landis, de la habilidad, debe rotar y apretar su Weaver ha estado nadando desde que cuerpo a velocidades increíbles.

Traducido por Ashley Gonzalez pudo. Una razón importante para

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11

December 2019

What 2 watch for Winter sports edition

By: Maya Dulli-Ray amd Xavier Harris

Wrestling: Great depth, more winning

Riverside’s wrestling itive team every year, but team suffered the loss of this is the first year they two star wrestlers, Jaylen have completely filled Adams and Jatavian Hart, their starting line up since who graduated last year, he started coaching. They but started fast in their have also not had a year first scrimmage against where they did not make it 18 other schools in North to the state playoffs since Carolina.

2010, so it isn’t a matter “[They] did really well of making it to the playfor the early season,” offs. It’s about whether coach Brock Dickerson they can get their whole said. lineup - all 14 starters - to Coming into this seathe playoffs.

• PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HELM son, Dickerson says to “Riverside has a long watch the three seniors, Sophomore Niccolo Luftig getting ready to history with Cary [High Terrance Martin, Reggie wrestle opponent during first tournament School],” Dickerson said.

Snowden, and Josh Cox, of the season. The Pirates have made the They are not only rivals as well as returning soph- playoffs every year since 2010 but Cary has always been omore Isaac Ramierez in the top two or three Dickerson is very excited and new junior Nick teams in state playoffs. because they are a very competJimenez.

Swimming and diving: Backstroke phenoms and the playoffs

With a strong swimming season ahead of the team, coach Elizabeth Moreno suggests watching junior Jenna Maloy and sophomore Ryan Weaver, who both excel in backstroke.

The team has already had two meets. The first was a tournament and the second against one of their tougher opponents, Chapel Hill High School.

Suffering from the loss of Mathew Rigsbee graduating last year, the team needed other swimmers to rise to the challenge. Moreno said their strongest swimmers this year are Maloy, Weaver, junior Shane Roth, Sophomore Ben Smith, and Senior Andrew McCullen.

If they perform well, the team has a good chance at the playoffs

this year.

“This season we are at the point we didn’t reach until the end of the last season,” says Moreno.

The goals for this team include dropping the JV to varsity level times, sending varsity to states, and having the girl’s relay go to states.

Men's basketball: Four new stars The basketball team kicked off its season by beating their rival, Northern High School.

The Pirates lost eight seniors from last year, four of which were regular starters. As a team they hope to win their regular season conference title as well as the Eastern Alamance Hoopla tournament. To do that they expect seniors Josh Alston

Torian Regis, Jikari Johnson, and Marcus Burrows to step up and become the new star players.

Head coach Brian Strickland said they need to work hard to prepare for their two toughest opponents, Panther Creek and Hillside.

“I don’t think there is a team that will be ‘easy,’" Strickland

said, "because when you go into a game having that mentality that it will be easy, you begin playing down to their level and then you have to fight harder.

"I think last year we plateaued at the beginning of the season and never got that chance to be great, [but] this year I can see us being great, he said."

Women's basketball: Filling big shoes

The lady Pirates also started the season off with a solid win over rival Northern High School. by a final score of 61-43. However, after a close loss against Rolesville High School,their record is 1-1.

The Lady Pirates look to improve upon last year's 12 wins and 13 losses. “[It’s a] much different team than last year,” said head coach Wendy Palmer Last year's leading scorer

Ladaisa Jones graduated, and Palmer says there are “big shoes to fill.” But she has four possible players this season who she thinks have the ability to step up and fill those shoes.

Their toughest opponents are going to be Jordan and Cary High School. The team’s goals for this year include having a good experience, a good atmosphere, enjoying the sport, winning and returning to the playoffs this season.

"[It's a] much different team than last year."

- Women's basketball coach Wendy Palmer

•PHOTO CREDIT: FABIAN HERNANDEZ

12

Pirates' Hookok

A world in Turmoil

Anti-Government Protests (Venezuela)

It's been a year full of turmoil and unrest all over the globe. Out of 15 protests happening now, these four stand out.

Farmer Protests (Netherlands)

Major inflation, hundreds of deaths, economic collapse, and another year of protests have kept Venezuela mired in turmoil.

In 1998, Hugo Chavez came into power as Venezuela's forty-fifth President. He held the position until his death in 2013. After Chavez's death Vice-President Nicolás Maduro, became President and his government attempted to address economic turmoil by printing more money.

The International Monetary Fund estimates that due to this printing, hyperinflation could hit 10 million percent this year.

In 2014 large-scale anti-government protests flared up across Venezuela, then again starting January 11 of this year. Protest for the resignation of President Maduro has caused more than 107 deaths,including at least 77 children as of February 2019. Five years of protests has contributed to severe food and medicine shortages and a presidential election crisis.

Economic as well as political turmoil in Venezuela has caused Venezuelans to become the top political asylum seekers in the United States and have been at the top of the list of 10 nationalities with the largest asylum claims since February 2014. According to the United Nations, more than 70,000 Venezuelans have come to the US seeking asylum since 2015.

Starting in February of this year with climate activist Greta Thuberg, students have skipped school every Friday to protest Climate Change and demand that the government do more to help.

Meanwhile, farmers began protesting the Nitrogen Crisis in October, causing the biggest traffic jams in the Netherlands' history.

Although protest for Climate Justice is an international trend, it is very important in the Netherlands. According to the netherlands tourist website, about one third of the nation is below sea level and as climate change increases temperatures, the country will literally disappear.

Due to various efforts end the nitrogen crisis, farmers are being heavily impacted. Starting on October 1, more than 2,000 farmers have caused the biggest traffic jams in Dutch history with using tractors heading towards the country's capital, The Hague.

As a result, in 2015 the Dutch Supreme Court created the Urgenda Ruling, making the Netherlands the first country to have a government legally obligated to act against dangerous levels of climate change and cut its carbon emissions by 25 percent by 2020. The Dutch government is still trying to appeal this ruling.

United Auto Workers Protests (USA)

Pro-Democratic Protests (Hong Kong)

Members of the United Auto Workers recently had their demands met, which included fair wages and affordable health care, after going on a mass strike against General Motors. The first auto strike in more than a decade, members of the UAW started the national strike on September 15.

The workers refused to work until their demands were met, creating one of the longest-lasting work stoppages in the past 50 years.

For almost six weeks, 50,000 workers picketted to receive a substantial wage increase. The agreement reached does away with a two-tier wage system that caused many workers to have much bigger salaries than others.

After creating a contract with workers Mary T. Barra, the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors explained, “We delivered a contract that recognizes our employees for the most important contributions the make to the overall success of the company.”

The United Auto Workers Union will now pursue contracts with similar terms with other major automakers, including Ford, Fiat, and Chrysler.

After gaining independence in 1997 from Britain, Hong Kong was returned to China under a “One Country, two systems” deal, this and laws following have led to political and social turmoil.

This June protests started after an extradition bill, which would have allowed criminals to be extradited to China. Opponents of the bill argued that the bill would grant China too much power and influence over Hong Kong and would lead to activists and journalists being targeted and unfair trials and violent treatment in the judicial system.

The bill was suspended on July 9 and fully withdrawn on September 4 by Chief Executive Carrie Lam, but pro-democracy protesters exclaimed that the actions were “too little too late” and have continued and demonstrators are demanding for a fully democratic government and investigations into police actions.

According to the Southern China Morning Post, Since protests started 4,491 people have been arrested, more than 2,600 people injured and 2 killed.

By Elijah King and Alex Kaplan • GRAPHIC BY DESMON LYNN