Taylor Ana - Staff Reporter
To vote or not to vote: Tomorrow is Oswego’s primary election day
In common news coverage, more focus is placed on the Presidential elections every four years than any representation of local elections and the candidates running for local office, much less primaries. However, voting in a local election actually ends up having more local impact than a national election. “This will be my first time voting, so I am excited,” said OH senior Hassan Lawal. “It is important now for young people to vote because we are the future, [[and]] it’s important to vote in local elections because those are elections that impact you most.” Local elections, and primaries, which determine which people end up on each party’s ballot in November, are just as important as the bigger national and presidential elections, but they are often less well-advertised, and as a result have lower voter turnout.
We the (Young) People: The importance of effective youth activism
Ugh, the kids these days. Every generation has different views than the ones before – whether that’s flapper dresses, rock n roll, or social media – that older generations judge them for. But in times of political turmoil, those differences and the similarities become all the more critical. As seen in events from the Civil War sit-ins to last month’s walkout, young people often find themselves in a position where they can or have to take a stand– the biggest factor is making sure that their point gets across.
Starting the stage: Preparations underway for OH’s spring musical
Forget about setting the stage: Standing O is building it. Though the musical doesn’t open until mid-April, preparations are well underway for the cast and crew of OH’s theater program. This year’s musical, “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812,” is based on the first 70 pages of Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.” OH junior and president of Standing O Hayden Esbjorn will be playing the principal role of Natasha. “It follows a couple of different plot lines, but most primarily it follows Natasha's plot of her… fiance being off to war," Esbjorn said.
Countdown to summer: Major events second semester to get in your calendar now
Second semester is an exciting time. For freshmen, there’s one semester of high school they’ve achieved. For seniors, there’s only one left. For everyone else, there’s the thrill as they count down to summer break. “Once that change in weather happens… around spring break or just after… it always just seems like… everything can be possible at that time,” OH school counselor and Student Council co-sponsor April Ponte said. “I feel like a lot of people work harder than the first semester, so just finding that balance between a social life and academic life [[is important]],” said junior and Student Council Executive Board member Melanie Imbronjev. As important as it is to live in the moment, second semester is a busy time, with a lot of important deadlines that it’s important to keep track of.
This time on Fixer Upper: Controversy over ‘Old Traughber’ development continues
Oswego continues to grow with a population of over 35,000 people, and as new developments are being built along Wolf’s Crossing and along Route 34, more pressure is added to the area’s infrastructure. One such site is the former Traughber Junior High School, locally known as "Old Traughber," which has been used as the Oswego 308 Center, YMCA, and Senior Center. It has earned a lot of attention recently as it was sold by SD308 and is to be demolished and replaced with a residential development. JM Development initially proposed the development to the Village Planning and Zoning Commission Sept 4. After the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended not to approve the plan, JM Development revised it and proposed it to the Village Board of Trustees on Oct. 21, where it was unanimously approved.