News
April 16th, 2013
Jonathan Puckett Staff Writer Tens of thousands of immigration reform supporters are planning a rally in Washington, D.C. to push forward a bill that would legalize undocumented immigrants currently residing in the United States. It is predicted to be the biggest rally for immigration reform in at least seven years, as the organizers expect large groups from over 30 states to make an appearance, with thousands of additional people participating around the country in rallies to support the bill. The immigration bill was crafted to provide a set of strict criteria for undocumented immigrants to meet in order to begin […] More
April 16th, 2013
Christina Guimera Staff Writer This past Friday, the University of California-Santa Barbara hosted a conference in an attempt to bring to light the current rise in sea levels, a result of heightened global temperatures. According to Noozhawk.com, the conference left many of those in the audience looking troubled, with “furrowed brows.” The morning sessions of the conference included intimate stories shared by people from communities in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and Santa Barbara who have been personally affected by changes in their environment. Later in the afternoon, experts in different fields discussed the decisions that will have to be made over […] More
April 16th, 2013
Amanda Siegel Staff Writer The nation was left in shock this Monday as two bombs exploded near the finish line of the annual Boston Marathon, killing at least two and wounding over 100 people. The blasts went off about 20 seconds apart at around 2:50 p.m., two hours after nearly 27,000 runners had already crossed the finish line (CNN). The tragic and frightening scene was described by Dave Abel, a reporter for the Boston Globe: “All of a sudden there was a massive boom. There was a sort of concussive blow that pushed a lot of people back. I could […] More
April 16th, 2013
Evan Bradford Staff Writer TEL AVIV, ISRAEL After six years of service, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad stepped down from his position last Saturday. There had been rumors about his suspected resignation since Thursday. Fayyad is admired and supported by most of the Western world, and his resignation opens up a significant “leadership vacuum in a time when the U.S. is attempting to restart peace negotiations” (WSJ). Palestine is also in the midst of a significant financial crisis. Formally an International Monetary Fund economist, Fayyad is most known for his enthusiastic support of wide-ranging reforms in preparation for Palestinian statehood. […] More
April 16th, 2013
Sonora Sanchez News Editor In memory of beloved student Nick Davis, the Nick Davis Memorial Scholarship was founded by the Westmont administration and the Davis family in order to assist deserving students to attend Westmont without the stress of excess expenses. President Gayle Beebe has reported that the scholarship was first requested by the student body, and around the same time the Parents Council wrote Beebe a letter asking for the same motion. Co-chairs on the Parents Council, Dr. Richard and Randi Danson, said, “In the spirit of remembrance, many people have expressed a desire to do something in Nick’s […] More
April 11th, 2013
Amanda Siegel Staff Writer The controversy over the legalization of marijuana continues in both the political and social spheres, but it appears that the majority public opinion is shifting significantly from where it has been in past years; a survey released last Thursday by the Pew Research Center revealed that 52 percent of Americans support legalization. (SOURCE?) This marks the first time in more than four decades that the majority in America has held this opinion. 10 years ago, only a third of the American population supported legalization (LA Times). In addition to the results of the general poll, 72 […] More
April 9th, 2013
Christina Guimera Staff Writer Richard James Beasley was convicted of and sentenced to death for the murder of three men who answered a Craigslist ad to work on an Ohio cattle farm. A judge in Summit County accepted a jury’s recommendation that the accused should be given the death penalty, reported CNN. Ralph Geiger, David Pauley and Timothy Kern, all between the ages of 47 and 56, were killed near the end of 2011. Beasley allegedly murdered his victims to steal their belongings. The murders would have gone unnoticed for longer had the fourth victim not escaped alive, albeit injured, […] More
April 9th, 2013
Jonathan Puckett Staff Writer Since South Korea’s new president, Park Geun Hye, took office, North Korea has become increasingly hostile toward the United States and South Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has been threatening hostilities against its neighboring nations, while presumably continuing to test nuclear arms. On March 8, North Korea announced that they were scrapping the armistice agreement made 60 years ago, which effectively ended the Korean War (USA Today). This is a terrifying announcement for the nations of South East Asia, and it has produced actions and harsh rhetoric from the rest of the world community. Tokyo […] More
April 9th, 2013
Evan Bradford Staff Writer NAIROBI, KENYA Ugandan and American troops have stopped their search for the African warlord Joseph Kony. As the head of the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), Kony is wanted for crimes against humanity, including the abduction of thousands of children across Africa. Both the U.S. Senate and the Ugandan Military announced that they will pause the search due to political unrest in the Central African Republic (where Kony and his troops are believed to be hiding); the most recent unrest results from an unrelated rebel group seizing control of the country. The situation became so hostile […] More
March 28th, 2013
Amanda Siegel Staff writer According to the White House, the goal of President Obama’s four day tour of the Middle East was to express to the people of Israel and Palestine the urgent necessity of pursuing peaceful negotiations. Although it was not expected that any immediate headway would be made in these negotiations, it appears that the President has managed to get his message across. After meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Obama optimistically assured the Israelis that they have a “true partner” for peace (BBC). While Obama is committed to creating and sustaining an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, […] More
