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The flocks of media typically swarming the Hawaiian islands for the latest celebrity news will now have to think twice before publishing the latest expose due to a new bill passed by the State Judiciary Committee on Feb. 8. The senate approved a bill protecting celebrities or anyone else from intrusive paparazzi. The bill gives people the power to sue others who take photos or videos that are offensive in any way. The Steven Tyler Act was approved after rock legends Steven Tyler and Mick Fleetwood testified of the difficulty the media cause in their private lives. Each star spoke of how the paparazzi make simple activities like cooking with family and sunbathing elusive luxuries and the bill would give them peace of mind. Along with the two rock stars, Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne were two of more than a dozen celebrities that submitted testimonies supporting the bill. BYU-Hawaii students were asked whether this act is going to draw more celebrities to the already star-infested North Shore. “I don’t think it will make celebrity sightings more frequent but it will give those Hawaii visitors more peace of mind and the ability to enjoy the beauty of Hawaii more,” said native Hawaiian Trey Fortucci, a junior in biology. Fortucci is a caddy at Turtle Bay golf course and occasionally plays a few rounds with the stars. “It’s gotten to the point where I’m not even star-stricken . . They are just normal people. Hopefully this act will allow them relaxation just like regular tourists,” he said. Another student Haley Bleazard, a junior in biology from Cedar City, Utah, also hopes the act will give celebrities a better experience. She said, “Hawaii is all about hanging loose and getting lost in the tranquility of the island. Celebrities should be allowed to have an experience that reflects that.” Like Bleazard, Atalie Issacson, a business junior from Tucson, Ariz., said the bill will attract more celebrities. “The fact that so many stars have supported this bill means they are more than likely to act upon it and come here. Most celebrities want their privacy so I bet we will be seeing more of them around,” said Issacson.

Students at BYUH agree that the introduction of an integrated prom in Wilcox County, Georgia is a much-needed change. Last month in Wilcox County, students participated in the first integrated prom at Wilcox County High School. According to a CNN article written by Jamie Gumbrecht entitled ‘Segregated prom tradition yields to unity’, “For as long as most remember, Wilcox County High School hasn’t sponsored a prom for its 400 students. Instead, parents and their children organize their own private, off-site parties, know casually as white prom and black prom-- a vestige of racial segregation that still lives on.” Jasper Mills, a junior TESOL major from California, said, “We have to take into consideration our history and where we are coming from. Yes, it is upsetting that racism still exists in the world and even more upsetting that it’s still in our country, but the important thing to focus on is our progression and where we are going.” For those attending school on the multicultural BYUH campus, segregation can be an upsetting subject. Students shared their opinion of the segregation that still takes place today. Grace Alspaugh, a senior in ICS from Washington, said, “It’s upsetting to know that the past is very much still with us and that people let notions of “tradition” keep them in hateful ideologies.” A group of students at Wilcox County High participated in breaking the tradition of segregated proms. “Organizers both black and white, said they lost friends in the process; a grim experience in the waning weeks of the school year,” wrote Gumbrecht. The story of Wilcox County High School’s first integrated prom caught the media attention. According to Gumbrecht, this media attention was ‘hard’ for the county. “Some in Wilcox County say it’s just an old habit that’s hard to break. A few argue the proms are private because of cost and liability or because parents won’t cede control,” wrote Gumbrecht. Diana Ruiz, a senior English-ICS major from Mexico, shared her viewpoint on the matter and said, “I am glad the youth are making a change in the town’s perspective.” Organizers of the prom look forward to breaking the tradition of the county even more. “By this time next year, prom in Wilcox County could be entirely different. The high school’s leadership will consider hosting a prom in 2014.” Superintendent Steve Smith said. “It might not eliminate segregated prom, but if it happens, it could promise a dance open to everybody,” wrote Gumbrecht. Just like Mills said, “the most important thing to focus on is our progression and where we are going.”

Local Minnesota Police potentially saved hundreds of lives from a mass school-bombing plot May 2, 2014 when they arrested teen John David LaDue, 17, in Waseca, Minn. Police found LaDue with bomb materials including gunpowder, pyrotechnic chemicals, ball bearings and a pressure cooker when police reached him at a storage unit. After receiving a search warrant to enter LaDue’s house, police found finished bombs and “numerous guns” along with a plan to kill his family and schoolmates outlined in his journal, according to CNN.com Details of the alleged design begin with the teen’s plan to kill his father, mother and sister, according to police. He then planned to set off a fire nearby to divert possible emergency responders, as he would set off bombs during lunch at the Waseca Junior/Senior High School. Next, he intended to kill the school resource officer and open gunfire on students until the police arrived. Finally, he planned to voluntarily allow the police to kill him, said authorities.The Minnesota teenager’s attraction to guns and dark media may be part to blame for his intricate plan to massacre his school and family. His Facebook page showed an interest in assault rifles such as, the AK-101, Heckler & Koch SL8 and Steyr TMP. The majority of his 190 favorite bands were heavy metal and his taste in movies was predominately blood, gore and fighting. “His favorite authors are Stephen King and a more traditional master of literary darkness, Edgar Allen Poe,” reported CNN.com.Courtney Wible, a junior in humanities from Utah, said, “The media proposes a distorted idea about what reality is and causes teens to act out in inconceivably inhuman ways. Its power can affect even the innocent, in this case a 17-year-old boy.” A 2007 study from Columbia University Medical Center found the “brain network responsible for suppressing behaviors like inappropriate or unwarranted aggression became less active after study subjects watched several short clips from popular movies depicting acts of violence. These changes could render people less able to control their own aggressive behavior,” reported sciencedaily.com.Britanny Dyer, a sophomore in EXS from California, said preventing these situations are difficult because, “these types of kids have chemical imbalances in their brains.” She continued, “They seem normal to their friends and peers, but their minds’ desires are twisted. Maybe you could help parents become more aware so that they can recognize some of these red flag attributes in their children and they can then get them help before something drastic like this happens.” Ladue’s mother declined to comment reported CNN.com.The teen was caught after Chelsie Shellhas, a storage space attendant, followed her gut feeling and called 911 after she saw the teen acting suspicious at a storage unit for about 10 minutes. Shellhas was with her cousin, Katy Harty, who has a younger brother attending the targeted school. “It’s scary; we’re both, like, really glad that we did call and didn’t just shrug it off,” said Harty.