Hello everyone! This week’s newsroom was put together and presented by justavirgogirl and myself! We reviewed a variety of topics ranging from national feel-good stories to global humanitarian issues. Featured in this newsroom are one local story, two national stories, and two global issues.
Local: Needle Juice Tattoo Shop
Opened September 1st by Harrisonburg native, Bri Pro, Needle Juice Tattoo Shop is a new artful feature of Harrisonburg’s Downtown. Art has been Pro’s passion since she was a child and she has turned it into a career as an artist and business owner. Bri Pro began her career as an apprentice tattoo artist. After making her way up the chain she still felt unfulfilled. Chasing a dream and her ambitions, she opened up Needle Juice to welcome her artistic growth. Her hopes with opening Needle Juice are to create a safe space for people to express themselves and to bring art to the City of Harrisonburg.
During the presentation of this story, students in class expressed opinions on current tattoo culture and the positive direction younger generations are taking it. Since tattoos are still taboo for some, the class appreciated Pro’s intention of creating a safe space for expression.
Story from WHSV3 on September 2nd, 2024
National: Skills on Wheels
Run by Indiana University Indianapolis, “Skills on Wheels” is a free afterschool program that teaches children ages 8 to 17 how to use mobility devices. Ramps, speed bumps, and sharp turns can pose a huge disadvantage to those in wheelchairs and other devices, and this often discourages young children from participating in activities. This program aims to instill confidence in young wheelchair users — without insurance costs — so they feel prepared to navigate inaccessible features in the world.
Some questions discussed by the class after the conclusion of the presentation concerned JMU’s accessibility, misleading maps, and how we could help people navigate an inaccessible campus.
Story from NPR on September 2nd, 2024
National: Missing DOg Reunited With Family after Two Years
After two years a Colorado family’s dog, Bear, has safely been returned home. Reported by WHSV3 in “Dog reunited with family 2 years after going missing”, two years ago Bear went missing while with a pet sitter. As the family moved to New York shortly after Bear’s disappearance with no luck finding him, they had little hope for his return. In a great surprise to community members, there were sightings of Bear this past July. Immediately the community came together as a group of volunteers set out to rescue Bear. After two weeks of setting out food, they resorted to using a “messy trap”. This trap features a light that, when triggered, closes the door trapping the dog inside. The volunteers were able to successfully trap Bear. On September 1st Bear made the trip, paid for by community members, to his family in New York for a happy reunion.
ShoutOut! students appreciated this feel good story and discussed the importance of supporting community members.
Story from WHSV3 on September 4th, 2024
Global: Who Exceeds Target for Gaza Polio Vaccinations
Beginning September 1st, the World Health Organization (WHO) started vaccinating children in Central Gaza. Within the first two days, they were able to surpass their original goal of 156,500 people. Dr.Peeperkorn speaks on the success so far, and explains that successfully vaccinating 161,030 children was a great start to this campaign, but they still have many more regions in Gaza to go. They need to vaccinate a minimum of 90% of the children in Gaza (about 640,000) to prevent further spread.
Story from BBC on September 3, 2024
Global: “Hounded from a Beauty Pageant in South Africa, then crowned in Nigeria”
Reported by the New York Times, on August 31st, Chidimma Adetshina was crowned as the winner of Nigeria’s Miss Universe Beauty Pageant. While a seemingly happy triumph, it unfortunately followed her turbulent withdrawal from South Africa’s Miss Universe Beauty Pageant. Ms. Adetshina was forced to withdraw from South Africa’s Miss Universe for the safety of herself and her family after widespread debate and scrutiny sparked over her heritage. This issue led to a larger debate about nationality and xenophobia in South Africa. Adetshina was born in South Africa and had only been to Nigeria twice as she won the pageant. Her father, of Nigerian heritage, and her mother, who is of South African and Mozambican heritage, faced a lot of scrutiny. So much so that South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs opened an investigation against her mother ultimately accusing her of identity fraud over which they plan to pursue criminal charges. Ms. Adetshina’s heritage continues to raise questions in Nigeria about whether or not she is fit to represent the country globally in Mexico this November. It is believed that Ms. Adetshina is breaking barriers and setting a new standard for diversity, as her identity transcends borders. As reported by the New York Times, Adetshina feels resilient as she displays great perseverance.
ShoutOut! students felt this subject was important to be acknowledged. Everyone was surprised they had not heard of this story and stressed the importance of seeking out global news.
Story from New York Times on September 4th, 2024
ShoutOut! James Madison University 