Thursday, May 7, 2009

NY Times 5/4 - 5/7

Monday: Packistani and its youth are in trouble. While schools are barely existant, poor children are being sent to Islamic schools in order to receive some type of education.

Tuesday: Residents face eviction notices because they can't make ends meet. Rent is becoming too high, which is causing families to practically live out on the street. Landlords say that can't keep making exceptions and have no choice but to evict the tenants.

Wednesday: Even though unemployment has been one of the biggest issues during the economic recession, bright things are coming up in our future. Economists say the economy is turning around, slowly but surely.

Thursday: Shelly Pollum, owner of a family-run business, said that she hit rock bottom when she was forced to stop her business because of the economy. She is recovering from the loss, but hopes she'll soon "see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Monday, May 4, 2009

Safety at Last: Shark Caught and Killed

Amity - After previous shark scares and threats to close down Village Beach, the beaches are safe again after the shark that killed Alex Kinther was caught and killed.

Fourth of July weekend can continue successfully as the beach has reopened for tourists and Amity vacationers.

Amity Police Chief Martin Brody announced the killing of the shark.

"The fisherman who caught the beast in the waters one mile south-southwest of Amity will receive a $3,000 reward for their heroic and selfless efforts," said Brody.

The name of the fisherman remains anonymous, but experts were brought in to study the monster.

Once the shark was brought to shore, Matt Hooper, a marine biologist from the Woods Hole, MA. of the Oceanographic Institute, inspected the shark.

Hooper identified the shark as a nurse shark, which is one of the most dangerous of all sharks.

Although the beach is safe, Brody is still taking precautions.

"Islanders and guests alike should not be alarmed by the presence of shark spotters from the Coast Guard, the Marine Patrol, the MA state police, the FBI, and other local agencies. They are simply a safety precaution and that we hope we will put our visitors at ease," said Brody.

If anyone should see a shark, although it is unlikely, the sighting should be reported to authorities at 1-800-sharksee.

It's safe to go back to the water, but some kids weren't ready for the excitement to end.

As crowds of people rushed back into the cool waters, a shark fin was spotted, but only to be determined that it was made out of black cardboard.

"It was just a hoax," said one of the patrol officers who caught the two boys playing the prank.

This certainly was another scare for residents, but summer fun is back in action and the waters are truly safe again.

"We believe we can safely say that the danger of further shark attacks has passed," said Brody. "Amity's darkest days are behind us."

Shark Attack Leads to Fear of Village Beach Closing

Amity - Townspeople and summer vacationers come together to discuss the latest shark attack that resulted in the death of Alex Kintner that occured on Village Beach which may lead to the beach closing for the summer.

Martin P. Brody, the Chief of Police of Amity, MA, worked with Mayor Bob Farley to reach a conclusion on the mid-summer's festivities, but had a hard time seeking the approval of Amity's residents.

Most of the attendees of the town meeting, however, were not happy with the idea of closing down Village Beach.

"I have a point of view that a lot of other people," said one woman at the meeting. "I have a motel here."

Businesses and tourists attractions would certainly be in jepordy. Business owners are likely to lose business if a shark attack leads to the beach closing down.

Chief Brody reassured people that the shark would be caught and more safety precautions would be used on the beaches.

"We're going to put extra deputies on the beaches and bring in experts from the mainlands," said Brody.

The one question he did not immediately answer was if the beach would be shut down.

"We will be closing the beaches," said Brody.

After townspeople hollered and bantered about shutting down the beach, Mayor Farley quickly added a few words that Brody was not pleased with.

"We're only shutting the beach down for 24 hours," said Farley.

Even closing it down for a mere 24 hours was not good enough for the townspeople and beach bums.

In the midst of shouting, one woman at the meeting said "24 hours is like three weeks!"

Not only was there an issue about safety on the beach, but now a controversial reward was being offered by Marian Kintner, the mother of the young boy whose body was washed up onto the beach shore.

A poster stated "Reward: $3,000 for the man who finds and kills the shark that killed."

This may be a good incentive for fishermen in the area of Amity, but Brody had more of a pesimistic view on the idea.

"It's going to turn into a contest," said Brody.

One man even joked about the reward.

"Is the $3,000 in cash or check?" said the attendee.

People laughed, but this issue of safety and closing a place where people spend their summers in the real perdicament.

Ben Quint, a fisherman, accepted the challenge of finding the shark that killed Alex Kintner.

He said that the task would be a challenging one; it would be difficult, but it needs to be done and he's the man to do it.

On that note, he made a proposition to the Mayor.

"I'll find it [the shark] for $3,000, but I'll catch and kill it for $10,000," said Quint.

There was not formal agreement to that offer.

It was not up to the Mayor to decide what the reward would be because the $3,000 was out of Mrs. Kintner's pocket, not the city's.

"We'll take that under advisement," said Farley.

With the meeting coming to a close, it was understood that the beach would be closed for at least 24 hours and safety precautions would be underway.

Amity residents, though, were not at all pleased with the final decision.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

NY Times 4/27 - 4/30

Monday: Health officials officially declared the Swibe Flu as an emergency. The virus that originated in Mexico is now being carried over to the U.S. and is causing a scare for Americans.

Thursday: The Swine Flu has been raised to Phase 5 by the worldwide warning system. Countries all over the world now need to be aware that a pandemic could very likely be underway.

Wednesday:Colleges and universities are taking away trays in the dining halls. This new plan is conserving more water and energy, which is allowing these schools to save much more money.

Tuesday: Obama makes sure Americans know that there is no "cause for alarm" on the swine flu issue. Officials are doing their best to keep Americans updated with health alerts and wants everyone to know they are reading to handle the situation head on.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

NY Times 4/20 - 4/23

Monday: Reports show that Minnesotans become much more ill compared to Kentuckians. The investigation has led to acknowleding that some stores are still carrying and selling products from companies such as Dole. Peanuts are still a concern on the market, but now other foods such as lettuce is becoming an issue.

Tuesday: A story on Danna Walker revealed how difficult it was to support her son, who had been diagnosed with testicular cancer, after she was laid off from DHL. Because she lost her job, she also lost her health insurance. The family continually struggles to find temporary health care.

Wednesday: Mets and Yankee fans seemed to be unimpressed by the new ballparks. Only 5,000 tickets were sold during the week of the first home opener games.

Thursday: The housing market has reached an all-time low due the economy. Reports say that fewer and fewer workers are not moving across the country when a better job opportunity comes along because the market is so bad.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

NY Times 4/13 - 4/16

Monday: New toilets will be installed in the Yankee Stadium and Mets’ Citi Field to make bathroom lines shorter for women.

Tuesday: Phil Spector, a music producer, is guilty of killing Lana Clarkson. She was an actress and he killed her in his home. He faces at least 18 years in prison.

Wednesday: Tiffany Clay, a top violinist at her school in Ohio, wants to pursue a music career, but working, school, and money troubles is a huge roadblock to getting to her dream.

Thursday: Gov. Sarah Palin is getting back to her daily routine, but is having complications. She has been reported to be distracted by issues that are more recent and needs to try to pick up where she left off before she left for the Presidential campaign.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

NY Times 4/6-4/9

Monday: Researchers in Broooklyn are experimenting on the brain. A drug they are testing may be able to make the brain "forget" any traumatic or bad experiences an individual has once witnessed or encountered.

Tuesday: Americans seem to be more optimistic about our economy. According to a poll, Obama has a broader support group nationally.

Wednesday: Vermont is allowing gay marriages. Another victory for gays and lesbians!

Thursday: Manhattan's real estate is taking a huge plummit due to the economy. Analysts are afraid that it may even take the market time to heal after the slump.