By: Andrew Lamke
On January 26, 2020, nine people were killed in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California. Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant were two of nine people on the helicopter. They were heading to Mamba Sports Academy for a youth basketball event. Many people think Kobe Bean Bryant was a very talented basketball player. He played high school basketball at Lower Merion and was drafted to the NBA straight from there. He was a shooting guard, number eight and twenty-four, and played twenty years with the Los Angeles Lakers. His career averages were 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 1,346 regular season games. He won one MVP Award and was selected to play in 18 All Star Games. He had a record of 5-2 in the NBA Finals. Anyone that has ever watched or heard of Kobe felt sorrow for his death. I sure did. Some of the NHHS students felt the same way. Senior McKenzie Overschmidt responded, “His death is very shocking and sad. I think a lot of people are heartbroken! I think Kobe was the greatest basketball player of all time and I think he was very inspiring and just an all around good person!” “Kobe was an amazing athlete-- impactful and a legend. His death was of course very tragic and depressing,” mentioned freshman Jessica Underwood. “It is really sad that a legend like him goes out like that and that his daughter, who was supposed to keep his legacy going, went with him. He was one of the greatest athletes that has ever played in the game of basketball,” said senior Austin Yochim. Freshman Andrew Rethemeyer responded, “I believe he was one of the most humble basketball players to [ever] live. His death was very sad for anyone that watched basketball.” Kobe Bryant’s death shows that life is short, so make the best out of what you have and the time you have it. On Friday 02/07/2020, Detectives with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office had obtained information on the whereabouts of Robert L. Kavanagh, a white male from Robertsville, MO. Mr. Kavanagh had active warrants for multiple probation violations originating from charges of Domestic Assault 1st Degree, Stalking 1st Degree, Felony Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Two Counts of Domestic Assault 3rd Degree, Two Counts of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance. He also has active warrants for Failure to Appear for 1st Degree Trespassing, Property Damage and Stealing as well as traffic violations. Mr. Kavanagh is known to resist arrest and has been arrested 16 times prior. A search warrant for Mr. Kavanagh's property was obtained by the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to Mr. Kavanaghs residence to execute the search warrant, but Mr. Kavanagh ignored Deputies commands to exit the residence. The Franklin County SWAT Team responded to the residence and attempted communication with Mr. Kavanagh via an in car PA system. While requesting Mr. Kavanagh to exit the residence, a 911 call was made to Franklin County Dispatch stating there was a shooting at a local convenience store nearby. However, it was quickly learned that the 911 call was made by Mr. Kavanagh and another unknown subject from inside the residence, as the phone number used to make the call matched the phone number belonging to Mr. Kavanagh. The 911 call was made as an attempt to distract Deputies attention away from Mr. Kavanagh. After a brief period, three subject's exited the home, one being Mr. Kavanagh. Mr. Kavanagh was taken into custody on the outstanding warrants and charges are being applied for in reference to filing a false police report and misuse of 911 services. The second subject who assisted Mr. Kavanagh with the 911 call is a 39 year old male from Washington, MO. Charges of misuse of 911 and filing a false police report are being applied for with the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Steve Pelton Franklin County Sheriff Middle School Student of the Month is Elaina Cronin. Elaina is the daughter of Christina and Stephen Cronin. Elaina is the president of both the Student Council and the National Junior Honor Society. She is the girls basketball manager, plays volleyball, is a member of the track team, and is in the band. Outside of school Elaina is a Youth Upwards referee, involved in Civil Air Patrol, and is an assistant runner for Girls on the Run. Elaina also enjoys hiking, reading, and science. She always tries her best to be a great role model for her seven siblings. High School Student of the Month is Luke Gerlemann. Luke is the son of Jim and Lisa Gerlemann. Luke is a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, FBLA, and FCA. Luke also plays basketball and was named to three different All-Tournament Teams and was chosen as the KLPW Athlete of the Week during the season. When not at school Luke works at Save A Lot, hangs out with friends, hunts, and plays golf. After high school, Luke plans to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia. By: Brandon Young
As you may know, the Tobacco21 law was passed at the end of 2019, changing the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. The main reason this law was passed federally is because vaping was officially declared an epidemic. Now, you may be wondering why a high school student is writing an article about vaping, and to be completely truthful, it’s because vaping is a huge problem in high schools today. So, we are here to find out if the Tobacco21 law has made a difference in your local school. To find out if these new laws have indeed halted this vaping epidemic, I asked my principal, Ms. Tina Wnuk, if she has noticed a decline in tobacco products on school grounds. She responds with, “I have seen a decline overall since the beginning of the school year.” She also added that she believes it is due to information coming out about vaping products and their terrible side effects. I also asked one of our bathroom monitors, Mr. John Tucker, what he has noticed since the Tobacco21 law was passed. Mr. Tucker responds with, “In terms of how it will affect our school, honestly, I'm not sure if it will really make that much [of a] difference.” He also explains why he feels this way by saying, “Many of the individuals who have been vaping at school were underage before the law changed. It will make it harder for some to get access to it but in the end I don't see it having that much of an [effect].” So, to sum things up, I would have to agree with Mr. Tucker. I honestly believe that this new Tobacco21 law will not drastically change anything. Teens will always be able to find someone of proper age to buy tobacco products for them, especially in such a small town. However, even though it’s still a problem, this is just the first step towards the end of tobacco product usage in schools. By: Andrew Lamke
Even though the weather doesn’t hint towards it, baseball season is soon arriving. America’s favorite pastime is coming to New Haven at the end of February. The first game is at home against Community on Friday, March 20. These athletes are striving to bring more wins this upcoming season. I asked the JV and Varsity baseball players how they prepared for this season. “I have prepared by working out every chance I get and I hope to bring more wins to New Haven. I want to have a much better record than the previous baseball season,” responded senior Austin Yochim. “I haven’t prepared that much, but I did a little. I am beginning to practice every day and trying to work on my game,” said sophomore Will Hellmann. Junior Matthew Otten mentioned, “I prepare by practicing when I can. I hope our team does the same as well.” Junior Nolen Brown commented, “I play baseball when I can, but the weather has been affecting this. I want to be as helpful to the team as possible.” “I want this team to win as many games as possible. I want to play and perform my absolute best for the team. I have been practicing my hitting and catching for this upcoming season,” said junior Owen Borcherding. The NHHS baseball athletes are beyond ready to compete and win this upcoming season. Let’s get ready to cheer on our home field on Friday, March 20, for our New Haven Shamrocks. By: Caroline Otten
On Tuesday, January 21, 2020, the New Haven girls basketball team traveled to Silex, Missouri, to play the Silex Owls. The first game of the night was played by the JV girls who defeated Silex with a score of 51-33. The next game was played by the Varsity girls who ended the night with a win and a score of 60-31. After the game the athletes were then asked a few questions. The first question asked was how the athletes felt the team played overall. Junior Ellie Westermeyer said, “I thought we played really well.” Freshman Lindsey Steinbeck replied, “I think we worked hard.” Senior McKenzie Overschmidt answered, “I think the team came out ready to play and we play very well as a team.” The next question asked was if there were any goals the athletes and their team have accomplished so far this season, and if so, what. Lindsey Steinbeck explained, “We have greatly improved on getting rebounds.” Ellie Westermeyer replied, “For me, one goal is focusing more on free-throws. I have accomplished this goal in the past few games and hope to keep it up.” The athletes were then asked if there is anything they want to work on. McKenzie Overschmidt explained, “I think I want to work on driving the ball to the hoop and shooting the ball [well].” Lindsey Steinbeck simply replied, “Shooting.” The last question asked was if anything exciting happened during the game. McKenzie Overschmidt said, “Two people made buzzer beaters!” Ellie Westermeyer answered, “Both Mackenzie Wilson and Madison Langenberg made buzzer beaters.” Congratulations and good luck, Shamrocks, on the rest of your season! MDC offering waterfowl workshops in St. Louis region this March to give input on upcoming seasons2/7/2020
MDC workshops in Elsberry and St. Charles will solicit hunter input about duck season dates and zone boundary locations for the 2021-2025 seasons. St. CHARLES, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites waterfowl hunters in its St. Louis region to either of two public workshops in March to gather hunter input about duck season dates and zone boundary locations for the 2021-2025 seasons. These workshops, being held in Elsberry and St. Charles, are part of a series of similar public workshops MDC is hosting this winter around the state. Participants will have the opportunity to review long-term waterfowl data about weather, migration, habitat use, harvest, and hunter opinions, and discuss their season date and zone preferences with other hunters and MDC staff. MDC will use hunter input gathered through the workshops, combined with hunter opinion surveys, to establish Missouri’s 2021-2025 duck season dates and zones. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives states the opportunity to change the number and location of duck zones every five years," explained MDC Resource Scientist Doreen Mengel. "We’re holding these meetings to get hunter input as we plan Missouri’s 2021-2025 duck season dates and zones.” The following 2020 waterfowl workshops will be held in the St. Louis region from 7-9 p.m.
For more information, visit the MDC website at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zq8. On February 3, 2020 the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office received a report that a wanted person was walking on the railroad tracks in the area of Hwy M in Villa Ridge. The wanted person was identified as Richard J. Kimbrel, a 41-year-old male from Villa Ridge. Deputies confirmed Kimbrel had active Franklin County arrest warrants for a felony Domestic Assault 3rd degree and two misdemeanor property damage charges. Bonds on those warrants totaled $12,000. Deputies responded to the area to attempt to locate the man. They located a man walking on the tracks. When they exited a patrol vehicle and attempted contact, the man dropped a bag and started running from them. The deputies gave chase and eventually subject surrendered, whereupon he was positively identified as the Richard Kimbrel named in the warrants. During the chase a deputy sustained minor injury and damaged equipment during a fall along the tracks. Kimbrel was transported to the Franklin County Adult Detention Facility without further incident. He was not injured during the incident. The deputy did not require medical attention at the time of the incident. Additional charges were filed with the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. An additional warrant was issued on Kimbrel for Resisting Arrest. Bond was set at $2,500 cash only. All people are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Steve Pelton Franklin County Sheriff The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is a member agency of the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and one of ten cybercrime task force agencies in the State of Missouri. In 2012, Franklin County entered into an agreement with St. Charles County, grant holder of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) grant for the State of Missouri, that the ICAC grant would fund the salary and benefits for a full time investigator from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to conduct internet child exploitation investigations while detached to the St. Charles County Police Department’s Cyber Crime Task Force. Franklin and St. Charles counties continued this agreement until October 2018.
In October 2018, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office re-assigned this investigator back to the Sheriff’s Office from the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force. The Prop P funding allowed the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to fund the salary for this investigator to conduct internet child exploitation investigations on a full-time basis out of the Sheriff’s Office in Union. As a member Missouri ICAC, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office’s multi-jurisdictional cybercrime task force conducts child exploitation investigations reported in Franklin, Gasconade, Maries and Osage Counties and provides forensic analysis of electronic devices for criminal investigations. During the 2019 calendar year, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office cybercrime task force conducted a total of 73 online child exploitation investigations. The task force also performed internet safety presentations as a part of their community outreach. In October of 2019, the Sheriff’s Office was able to assign a new second investigator to it cyber-crime task force to alleviate the growing workload on the single investigator thanks to the Prop P funding. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has always been dedicated in protecting our children but when perpetrators utilize the internet to exploit children the investigations can become more challenging for law enforcement to identify the perpetrator. Conducting online child exploitation investigations required specially trained law enforcement personnel to identify, locate and arrest these online perpetrators. Without the Prop P funding, the Sheriff’s Office could not afford to dedicate full time personnel to investigate online child exploitation. Using Prop P funding toward combating the growing epidemic of children being exploited online is a noble cause that the citizens of Franklin County can be proud of supporting. Sheriff Pelton would again like to thank the public for the support in protecting the youth and the detectives working the cases to ensure the safety of our children. To report the online exploitation of children contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office or make a report with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at their cyber tip line, report.cybertip.org, which will be forwarded to your local cybercrime task force. By: Ellie Westermeyer
On Wednesday, January 15, 2020, the New Haven varsity girls basketball team played New Bloomfield in the South Callaway Tournament. This was their second game in the tournament after a loss to Montgomery City. After a tough game, the score in the end was 43-33. The starters were McKenzie Overschmidt, Madison Langenberg, Ellie Westermeyer, Hannah Rethemeyer, and Mackenzie Wilson. The alternates were Meagan Holtmeyer, Kayla Brumels, Lexi Sidwell, Grace Faris, and Caroline Otten. After the game the Shamrocks were asked how they thought they played and what things they thought they could work on. Senior McKenzie Overschmidt said, “I think I played okay. Some things that I can work on are handling pressure and driving the ball to the hoop more.” Junior Caroline Otten replied with, “I feel we played well and worked hard. I need to work on rebounding, being strong with the ball, and staying on my feet.” Junior Ellie Westermeyer commented, “I think we played well but there are many things that I can work on like rebounding and making smarter passes.” The next question asked was about what the team can work on. Caroline Otten simply said, “Rebounding and boxing out.” McKenzie Overschmidt added, “The team can work on being focused and ready to play.” Ellie Westermeyer replied with, “Our team can work on rebounding and being strong whenever we get the ball.” Good luck, Shamrocks, on the rest of your season! The New Haven School District has the following job openings: Deadline for applications is 2/17/2020 Middle School Science Teacher High School English Teacher Deadline for applications is until filled Evening Custodian Parents as Teachers Educator Substitute Teachers Substitute Custodians Coaching positions are available. If you would like to apply for these positions, visit our website at https://newhavenschools.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx By: Austin Yochim
Senior trip happens every single year for the seniors at New Haven High School. New Haven High School goes way out of the way to make sure the seniors at New Haven have the best senior trip a high schooler can ask for. Here are some preparations the seniors are making and what the seniors are looking forward to on senior trip. McKenzie Pecaut responded with her preparations: “Getting money together and finding some cute outfits.” She also replied about what she is looking forward to the most: “Going to New York City to see the 9/11 memorial.” McKenzie Overschmidt said, “I need to start thinking about what I am going to pack and what I am going to do on my free time down there.” She also replied what she is looking forward to the most during the trip, and that is, “Being with all my friends and seeing so many different places.” Lydia Otten replied with, “I have been [saving] money for right now, [but I] can't start packing and stuff like that till later.” She also replied and said that she is most excited “to see all of the monuments.” Hunter Garren responded that he is most looking forward to “the bus ride.” Jay Eichelberger replied about his preparations for senior trip: “Just make sure that I have everything packed and everything that I will need for the whole trip.” He also said what he is most excited about on senior trip, “Getting to be with my friends and getting to see a whole bunch of new places.” Jenna Haeffner replied about what she is most excited about on senior trip: “Waking up at 3:30 A.M., already packed, and sitting with my friend Dalyla all the way there.” Most of the seniors at New Haven High School have been working so hard, fundraising for their class, and getting the money to pay for the senior trip. It will all pay off in April when they go on a once in a lifetime trip. Have fun, seniors! By: Samuel Penning
The New Haven boys basketball team faced off against the Vienna Eagles on Tuesday, January 14th. This was a strong victory for the varsity, with the final score being 70 to 46. This puts the record of the varsity team at 10-5. A Google form was sent out to the members of the varsity team asking their opinions on how the game went. When asked how they thought the team played overall, Luke Gerlemann, senior, responded, “We played really [well] in the second half, but not so great in the first.” Jacob Engelbrecht, junior, stated, “We started out slow in the first half, but as the game went on we picked it up.” The team was then asked how they felt they could improve overall. Dominic Lewis, senior, replied, “We mainly need to improve on our defensive game.” Jacob Engelbrecht responded, “We need more consistency on the offensive end.” Nolen Brown, junior, stated, “We need more intensity overall.” When asked if they had any favorite moments or highlights from the game, Luke Gerlemann responded, “When Dominic got crossed up so bad that he fell.” Dominic Lewis said, “When Luke hit that crazy three.” Good job to the varsity boys, and good luck to them in the rest of the season. Judy Elsie Brock, 68, of Washington, MO, formerly of New Haven, passed away Saturday, February 1, 2020 at her home.Judy was born in New Haven, Missouri on August 11, 1951, a daughter of the late Eugene & Louise (Scheible) Kreftmeyer. She was the wife of Ernest G. Brock. They were united in marriage on September 10, 1977, at St. Peters United Church of Christ, New Haven, Missouri. Ernest survives at the home. Judy is also survived by a daughter, Emily Thoenen & husband David, of Krakow, Missouri; a step-daughter, Stephanie Hubbard & husband Eric, of Murrieta, California; by two sisters, Jean Hoerstkamp, of New Haven, Missouri; and Jenny Althen, of New Haven, Missouri; a brother, Danny Kreftmeyer & wife Donna, of New Haven, Missouri; by three granddaughters, Isabella & Kierstin Von Behren, and Emily Garrett; three grandsons, Brody & Jayce Thoenen, and Ethan Hubbard; her German children, Michael Eidecker, Christine Scheller, Karol Kosinski, Janna Wienke, Florian Brauner, Ann-Katherin Kohler; and her three pups, Maggie, Cher, and Buddy. She is preceded in death by her parents, and her brother, Bill Kreftmeyer. Judy worked as the librarian for the Scenic Regional Library in New Haven for many years. Judy was an avid reader and loved to dive into a new book. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and her family. Every Sunday night was family night which she looked forward to. Judy loved animals, especially animal rescue. She has been a loving dog mom to over 16 pups and rescued and placed many more into forever homes. Visitation will be held Friday, February 7th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Toedtmann & Grosse Funeral Home, New Haven, where memorial services will follow at 7:00 p.m., with Rev. David Poe officiating. Memorials may be given to Franklin County Humane Society or Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. C/O Toedtmann & Grosse Funeral Home By: Natalie Pecaut
FBLA districts is near! The Future Business Leaders of America organization is holding a district competition at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri on February 14th. There are approximately 15-30 area schools that compete in the competition, whether it’s taking a test or presenting a topic in front of judges. Most students have been preparing for the competition since Thanksgiving break. Meagan Holtmeyer, member of FBLA, mentioned, “I signed up for the health administration test and, honestly, I didn’t realize how much time it would take out of my day reviewing the flash cards I made and all the online material that we could study.” Future Business Leaders of America is a business-based organization, so to play the part, you have to dress the part. As we know, at New Haven High School, the attire of most students is jeans and boots or sweatshirt and sweatpants. It's highly unlikely that you would see one of our students in a business suit. The average business suit you would see a high schooler wearing costs around $55-100. Pricey for some. Not to mention you still need a nice shirt and nicer shoes that aren’t boots or athletic shoes. When we asked junior Ellie Westermeyer for her input on her business attire, she responded, “First I would like to say, I wish tennis shoes were acceptable! I had to buy black slacks and a blazer that cost around $60. I wear a nice pair of heels, but I’ve had them so long that by the end of the day, these puppies need to breathe!” McKenzie Pecaut also commented, “When FBLA districts finally come around, I head straight to my sister's closet. She's an accountant and wears business clothes every day. I did have to buy my own shoes though, and they cost around $40.” Students have the option of taking a competitive test over different subjects and topics. The FBLA club has about half of their members taking tests while the other half is in a performance event. Students that present in front of judges must feel comfortable public speaking and making sure they know their topics like the back of their hands. We wanted to get a couple of words from the members who will perform in front of the judges. Lauren Hoerstkamp commented, “I love public speaking, so that is why I usually pick a performance event over taking a test. I make sure to memorize what I’m going to say, but I try not to sound like a robot at the same time. I also want to think about what questions the judges may ask me at the end of the presentation. Lots to think about and material to study over.” Natalie Pecaut mentioned, “This year I’m doing a sales presentation, and my main goal is to really have the judges engaged on the product I’m selling. The judges will more than likely be asking me questions about the product, so I need to make sure I have all my information in order. Memorization is really one of the hardest parts for me so flashcards are currently my best friends!” We wish the best of luck to all of our students attending the event! Good luck, Shamrocks! By: Brande Kubiak
Time to grab your spikes and sunscreen because track season is coming up fast! Students around the county are getting prepared for another season. Track season starts March 2nd at New Haven High School. Students of the high school are excited and ready to get started on the sport. Track events consist of running events, jumping events, and throwing events. Some of the athletes were asked a few questions before the season. The athletes were asked what events they plan on doing this year and what events they did years prior, and junior Ellie Westermeyer responded by saying, “This year I plan on doing shotput, discus, and javelin, which are the same events I did since freshman year.” Freshman Brenna Langenberg responded by saying, “This year I plan on doing high jump, 100 meter, 200 meter, and 400 meter, and those are the same events I did in middle school.” The same athletes were asked what their goals/hopes were this year, and junior Hannah Rethemeyer replied saying, “I hope to break 2:40 in the 800 this year and to also make it past sectionals.” Junior Payton Burkhardt said, “I hope to get better in the 800 and get out of being an alternate.” Finally, the athletes were asked what they are doing to prepare for this season, and Ellie Westermeyer said, “I am working hard during basketball which is helping me prepare for this season.” Junior Caroline Otten responded saying, “I am currently in basketball so I haven't been able to do much, but I normally start running a few miles every week a few weeks before track practice starts so my legs are getting back into the groove of running.” The freshmen were asked if they are nervous about their first year of high school track, and Brenna Langenberg said, “No, I’m not nervous because I am confident in myself and my abilities in this sport.” Good luck this year, Shamrocks! By: Bernabe Ribera
On November 11, 2019, Australia was struck with devastating wildfires that have been burning over several days and are still going on to this day. New South Wales was hit the hardest with 4.9 million acres burned over the other states who were affected by the fires. New South Wales has had over 100 fires that are still burning. The air of Australia was filled with so much smoke that it measured 11 times the hazardous level. Entire towns were affected, more than 1,588 homes were destroyed and with as many as 650 homes damaged. There has been a total of 17.9 million acres burned by the fires in over 6 states. Not only have the fires affected the Australian citizens and their homes, but it has also affected the animals and their habitats. Koalas are one of the animals that were greatly affected by the wildfires. With a third of the koala species killed in the fires, a third of their habitats were destroyed. Although koalas are in no danger of extinction, other species such as frogs and birds could be wiped out if their habitats are struck with the wildfires. The number of animals killed by the fires has come to a total of 1 billion. Thousands are involved to help fight the blazing wildfires that have greatly affected Australia's people, land, and animals. There are currently 3,000 army, Navy, Air Force, and 3,000 firefighters and support crew on the ground to help fight the fires. 440 emergency personnel are in the tent city at Swan Reach, Victoria. 240+ firefighting personnel are from the US, Canada, and New Zealand. A few students were asked what they think about the fires currently burning in Australia. Brande Kubiak, junior, commented by saying, “I was really upset about how many koalas have died because I think they look really cute.” Brandon Young, senior, said, “It’s messed up how much damage the fire is causing in just a few days.” Paige Remillard, senior, replied with, “Australia is having a hard time so I hope all the animals and its people are going to be okay.” Sam Penning, senior, responded with, “Hopefully everything turns out okay and I hope they can stop the fires from getting worse.” As the citizens and volunteers continue to fight the Australian fires, many people across the world have helped by donating money. Australia has received over millions and millions of dollars from celebrities, comedians, and ordinary people. We wish Australia the best and, for its people and animals, safety. |
Archives
April 2024
Categories
All
|