School:
The Legislative Council and ASB Spirit allocated around $80,000 for new gym installations, including LED and UV lighting fixtures and a control console for lights on Sep. 17. Passed by the Legislative Council and ASB Spirit, this decision may affect where Lynbrook hosts future events. For example, Homecoming dances were previously held exclusively in the quad and cafeteria since the gym lighting was not ideal for school dances. Following the multistage installations, ASB may hold the Homecoming dance in the gym instead.
Community:
On Sep. 29, Whole Foods in Cupertino reopened after being shut down from April to September. County health inspectors previously suspended the store’s operating permit after reports of rodent droppings in food preparation areas. Whole Foods hired a pest control company that requested to fight the infestation using recently banned poisons, but their waiver was denied. On Sep. 10, inspectors declared Whole Foods safe to reopen after finding no signs of rodents.
National:
As of Oct. 28, seven of nine universities have rejected President Donald Trump’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. Sent to nine schools, this program offers access to federal funds in exchange for actions that would align with federal policies, including barring transgender students from gender-aligned sports and restrooms, capping international enrollment and making standardized testing mandatory. Oct. 20 was the deadline for these universities to respond.
International:
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica and the Caribbean as a Category 5 hurricane on Oct. 21. Sustained winds of up to 185 mph wiped out local power lines, trapping people on their roofs and resulting in at least 30 deaths as of Oct 29. Melissa instantly became the strongest hurricane on record to strike Jamaica and one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls in the Atlantic basin. The storm generated a devastating surge of up to 13 feet, flooding the parish of St. Elizabeth and blocking roads in every region in Jamaica.
