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Julia Johnson On Sunday, October 15th 2017, I had the privilege of interviewing Dorothy Johnson at her home in Blue Point. Enjoying the beautiful afternoon in her breathtaking garden patio, we talked about the Great South Bay Coalition. Our discussion dug deep into the issues and struggles that our community is going through. Her passion for bettering the lives of Suffolk county residents was extremely touching and real. The following is my interview with Mrs.Johnson. Q: How did the Great South Bay Coalition get its start? Dorothy: “ As a Registered nurse, I always felt the shame and stigma placed on this epidemic. But in 2011 I lost my only child, Maxwell, to a heroin overdose. It was devastating. But I had to do something to make a change. Due to the lack of education, I created an organization by the name of “Maxed Out Drug Prevention.” My voice was heard throughout Long Island and most importantly in our community of Bayport Blue-Point. My organization gave me inspiration to take a positive out of an absolutely terrible situation, and open a door to communication by hosting a yearly event “On the Wings of Hope”. On the grounds of St Ursula's center, I planted a tree as a symbol of growth and awareness and serves as a constant reminder of increasing education to the disease of addiction. Every year at the event, we would go back to the tree and see its growth. We could relate it back to our growth as an organization, but more importantly, as a community battling drug addiction. “On the wings of hope” increased community awareness and opened doors for many who have struggled behind closed doors. From this event the Great South Bay Coalition(GSB Coalition), was formed.Through the assistance of MaryEllen Adams, Suffolk County Department of Health, Prevention Resource Center, Gail Feldman, Melanie Holz, Susan Kubelle, Kimberly Hession, Betty Brown, the Youth Enrichment Services and many others, we assembled a team for the coalition. We worked diligently to empower the community to promote health and wellness in an effort to decrease the impact of substance abuse. We all want to make our community a safer place to live and strive to provide education and support to our community. Community members came forward to further raise awareness, give support and promote wellness in the community.” Q:How has your involvement in the coalition impacted you? Dorothy: “I have made a conscious effort to shed the shame and stigma, to educate that addiction is a disease. It has personally impacted me to be able to speak about my son in a positive way by educating the community on a very negative subject matter that no one wants to talk about. Most importantly the GSB Coalition has been welcomed into our schools and local organizations. But most importantly, resources for those in need of support. The GSB Coalition meets monthly which empowers me to be even more involved, before another senseless tragedy happens. I believe education is the best prevention.” Q:What is the Coalition's message/drive? Dorothy: “The coalition is a group of parents, neighbors, educators, professionals, and students who want to make our community a safer place to live. We strive to work together to provide education and support to our families, schools, and community.” Q: Why should people be interested in the Great South Bay Coalition? Dorothy: “Of the 63 counties in New York state, Suffolk county is #1 in opioid/heroin overdoses. Underage drinking and the use of marijuana can lead our youth into further destructive behavior. With the overwhelming statistics in Suffolk County, no neighborhood is immune. We cannot let our neighborhood go down hill. No involvement is too small, everyone can make a difference to raise awareness and give support to promote wellness within the community.” Q:How can others get involved? Dorothy: “The Great South Bay Coalition can easily be reached at these following links.” Email: [email protected]. Website: www.gsbcoalition.org. PO Box: Box 811, Sayville, Ny 11782 Phone: 631-275-1592. “All calls are confidential. The GSB Coalition has many excellent resources on the website. As one of the directors, I knows first hand what it is like to have experienced the hardships of reaching out for help. Please do not hesitate to call to ask any type of question, no matter what it may be. Just speaking to someone who had this unfortunate loss may be helpful.” Q: Do you have any upcoming events we should all know about? Dorothy: “Yes! Our next event is on thursday October 26th, 7pm at the Community Ambulance Company in Sayville “The Great South Bay Coalition, SCPD and Community Ambulance Company presents The Ugly Truth”. Presentations will be given by the SCPD, Community Relations Bureau, Suffolk County Medical Examiner's office, Suffolk County Department of Health and mental hygiene. NARCAN/NALOXONE training with be offered along with free take home kit with a certificate that allows to legally administer NALOXONE. Bring your expired or unwanted prescription medications for a safe disposal by SCPD. All are welcome. Appropriate for ages 15 and older.”
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Joseph Salaway On October 1st, Steve Paddock opened fire at a crowd at a concert in a Las Vegas hotel. This was the deadliest mass shooting in United States history killing 59 people and injuring 489. Paddock utilized bump stocks which give semi-automatic rifles ability to fire at an increased rate. It does this by controlling the guns recoil and allowing the gun to push itself into the gunman’s trigger finger. This gives the gun the ability to fire dozens of rounds in seconds but decreases accuracy. According to the New York Times, Paddocks AR-15 was firing at a rate of 90 shots in 10 seconds while a fully automatic pre-1986 COLT AR-15A2 can fire 98 rounds in 7 seconds. The average gun enthusiast does not need this kind of power but a sick man with a horrific plan might. Since bump stocks do not alter the guns themselves, they are legal. But after the Las Vegas shooting, many people want them to be banned or at least regulated. Republican Senator John Cornyn said to the New York Times, “It seems like an obvious area we ought to explore and see if it’s something Congress needs to act on.” Other Republicans such as Marco Rubio, Lindsey Graham, and Orrin G. Hatch said that they would entertain the thought of outlawing bump stocks. GOP Representative from Texas Bill Flores told The Hill, “I think they should be banned. There’s no reason for a typical gun owner to own anything that converts a semiautomatic to something that behaves like an automatic.” Representative Carlos Curbelo and Representative Seth Moulton have introduced a bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives that would ban bump stocks while Senator Dianne Feinstein proposed a similar bill in the Senate. Annie Buxton Apple recently came out with the new update, iOS 11.0.2. This update was suppose to fix frequently occurring problems like crackling phone calls, disappearance of photos,etc... but after a few days of the update going viral, Apple users quickly realized that this wasn’t the case. Not only did the update fail to fix the old problems, but created new ones during the process, including battery life draining at faster rates. Users all over speak out on the issue, claiming that it had no positive effect on their phones. Quotes like “I’d argue that the iOS 11.0.0 is even worse on battery life!” and “@Apple I updated the 11.0.2 and my phone is still getting frozen. What are you guys doing over there ??” easily show customers’ dissatisfaction. I myself am frustrated over the update as it caused my phone to work slower, and drains my battery faster than I can blink. With the new update plummeting in the books, many decided to retrogress to the iOS 10.3.3and iOS 11, saying “They felt as if they had a brand new phone.” This said, on October 5, 2017, Apple prevented customers from switching back, only allowing us to go forward with the update, or forever have the red notification staring back at you to upgrade. Thank you Apple for making us all realize that we shouldn’t take a bite out of every update you serve. Sean Mains On October 1st, 2017, a 64 year old man, Stephen Paddock, rained fire on the Jason Aldean concert crowd along the Las Vegas strip from his room in the Mandalay Bay Hotel, leaving 489 people injured and 58 dead, including himself. After investigation there were zero motives as to why he wreaked havoc on an innocent crowd, destroying families and ruining the reputation that this country stands for. It is the worst shooting this country has ever seen. Although Paddock was fully registered to have the 22 firearms, 22 rifles, and one handgun he had in that hotel room that night, the question is "should he have been allowed to?" Was there any way of controlling the situation at the time? No. He had checked into the hotel with 22 bags and no one had suspected a thing. After this tragedy our country needs to change something to not make it this easy to open fire our citizens. The United States leads the world in firearm homicides over all other countries. This incident was a wake up call for our country. Should it be legal to bear arms? No. Australia is a great example of how we should model our country after in dealing with gun violence. Their zero tolerance policy of firearms evades the risks of gun murders and makes the streets a way safer community. Unfortunately it will be very difficult to ban guns across the country with many people already owning them already. But if this country can reform in the gun laws I see great things moving forward for society as a whole. Something needs to be done, gangs will have their guns, law enforcement will have their guns, but being able to control it is what matters. Kevin Dean Since the creation of Boy and Girl Scouting (created by Baden Powell in 1910 and Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, respectively) it has been widely recognized that the two genders are immensely different both physically, mentally, and socially. Since their creation, these two rightfully separate organizations have acted solely for the benefit of the growing minds, creating some of the best, well-mannered, self-sufficient and self-confident men and women the world has ever known. To name a few: Neil Armstrong, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Bill Gates, George W. Bush, Harrison Ford, Barack and Michelle Obama, Carrie Fisher, Martha Stewart, and Katie Couric were all involved in Scouting. One could go on for hours about the good that the organization of Scouting does for young boys and girls in forming proper moral compasses, being self-sufficient, and to always aid others in their times of need. As the Scout Oath for both Boy and Girl Scouts goes, “to help other people at all times”. However it is a complete fallacy to suggest that including members of the opposite gender into a program not designed for them would be a force for good. Despite the claims by leaders of the Boy Scouts like Michael Surbaugh saying how it will aid the well being of the organization and its members, this decision threatens to undermine the validity of the entirety of the Boy and Girl Scouting institutions. This decision is not one that is in any way beneficial for either gender. It is one that will introduce confusion and sexuality into an institution where there is no place for it. Leaders of the Girl Scout organization agree; an interview by CNN with Girl Scouts USA reads, "The benefit of the single-gender environment has been well-documented by educators, scholars, other girl- and youth-serving organizations, and Girl Scouts and their families. Girl Scouts offers a one-of-a-kind experience for girls with a program tailored specifically to their unique developmental needs." Leaders of the Girl Scouts have also, ironically, almost unanimously agreed that Boys be prevented from joining the Girl Scouts, for a fear for the safety of Girl Scouts. If the Girl Scouts are against this, not for a fear for the validity and future of their institution, but for the safety of their girls, then it is clear that there is something seriously wrong with this decision by the Boy Scouting institution. Some have argued that the prevention of Girl Scouts from earning the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout is unjust, and therefore girls should not be restrained by their gender. However this is simply untrue. Girls have their own version of an Eagle Scout Rank known as the Gold Award; one that is unanimously agreed to be just as prestigious and difficult to attain as the rank of Eagle Scout. Those who believe the fallacy that boys and girls are going against a century of success and in the name of the selfish and inconsiderate wants of a few individuals who will destroy all that made Scouting the amazing thing that it is for both boys and girls. We can only hope that the executives of the Boy Scouting organization realize the folly of their actions, and decide, without any room for a future mistake like we have seen this past week, that the two genders will stay permanently, in the two organizations that have entirely been designed for them. Could a Few Simple Questions Alter the Chances of Being Accepted Into Your Dream College?10/21/2017 Max Davern The stresses of college can have a great impact in the minds of the average high schooler. Juniors and Seniors have the opportunity to sit and meet with a college admissions worker of their choosing. Most students want to excel in these meetings because they want to make a good first impression. However, what happens when the pressures of that one chance you have gets the best of you? When a college administrator asks that one question most kids these days get stumped on. A very simple phrase that sends chills down the spines of the average highschool student. “Well do you have any questions for me?”. The interviewer becomes the interviewee, and the quick, right to the point answers you have been practicing this whole time disappears as you stare dumbfounded at the judge's face. Now that this horrifyingly embarrassing image is addressed let's figure out how to avoid this dilemma. Here are some questions you should ask your college admissions worker because you want to know these things and it shows the interviewer that you are interested in the college itself. Here are some questions to ask:
Jenn Smith On a typical school day at Windfern High School in Houston, Landry, a student, was sitting in the Main Office when the National Anthem came on. As everyone in the room stood up with respect, Landry decided to stay seated. This small act of protest turned into a huge mishap as Landry was later told to leave the school for not standing for her country. This act of protest has not been the first as athletes, mainly from the NFL, have been kneeling during the National Anthem as a way to showcase their feelings towards racial inequality. These athletes are holding a grudge as they kneel in a way to show that our country needs to do a better job in respecting others. People feel that issues including disrespect towards different races is the main conflict, and Trump is not helping the situation. With Trump wanting to remove immigrants from the country and making remarks about racism, people are beginning to stand up for their beliefs in equality. Some believe that Trump is the cause of the controversy, but the NFL may be the cause of the spread of these new ideas. With Landry as an example of this conflict, kids all around the world who look up to these athletes believe that what they are doing is okay because NFL stars are doing it. Although some teams have stopped protesting, others still do it. With the continuation of the madness, people all over the world will start to believe that they have ultimate power to break what the flag really stands for: liberty and unity. These characteristics may have already been broken as Landry states,“I don’t think that the flag is what it says it’s for, for liberty and justice and all that,” Landry told KHOU. “It's not obviously what’s going on in America today.” She is not the only one who believes this issue. Many people of all colors and genders are going against our country by not standing for the anthem. Will this controversial issue come to a peaceful resolution? Or will the issue continue until changes within the government resolve? |
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