Newark Lowers Voting Age

Newark has become the first city in the state of New Jersey to lower the voting age requirement for its school board elections to 16. After the unanimous decision by city officials on Jan. 8, close to 7,000 students in the district will be able to vote in the 2025 school board elections. 

This change has put a lot of pressure on students to be knowledgeable about their vote and is being accompanied by a push to bring better civics courses into schools. A revision to the current curriculum won’t just benefit those eligible to vote, but all students in the Newark school district. Plans for educational changes are heavily urged in order to avoid students being misinformed and manipulated. 

Many hope the ordinance will increase participation in the democratic process and boost the currently dwindling voter turnout. This has given a lot of power to the Newark student body and will allow them the opportunity to better their school experience and their overall quality of education. 

By Liam Collier

King Charles III

On February 5, 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that during a medical examination for another issue, King Charles III, newly crowned in 2022, had been diagnosed with a certain type of cancer. While the type of cancer was not revealed, prostate cancer was ruled out.

Caring reactions have been shared with the king throughout the world and in the United Kingdom. This is significant not only because of concerns about the king’s health but also because sharing information about the monarch’s medical health is not a Buckingham Palace tradition. For the first time, they have notified the public, marking a shift in the relationship between the monarchy and the commonwealth.

By Rui Wang

Paul Holvey Not Running for Reelection

After 20 years, Rep. Paul Holvey plans on retiring from his position as the second-ranking Democrat in the Oregon House. He said in a press release that he is going to use his time to prioritize personal and family business, and also expressed gratitude to the Oregon Legislature for their trust during his years. In October, Holvey beat an election recall attempt by the United Food and Commercial Workers 555 by an overwhelming 90 percent vote in his favor, demonstrating the amount of support he receives from the community. Now, three Democrats are running for the House District 8 position: Doyle Canning, an attorney from Eugene who unsuccessfully ran as a candidate for the 4th Congressional District in 2022, John Barofsky, the Eugene Water & Electric Board Commissioner, and Lisa Fragala, Lane Community College Board Director and educator in Eugene.

By Ayla Cem