” I had mixed feelings about the snow. At first  I was excited because I never had experienced that much snow, but as the days progressed I noticed how people were losing power and water and it made me anxious. ” said Junior Averie Garcia

Texans were so big on survival mode that they begin to use the snow as a water resource by melting it either on the stove or the microwave. To keep the toilet from freezing due to the pipes and to also cook meals.

“Although the weather has affected us in a way we’ve never experienced in years. Staying with family during this time period has made this hard time possible to get through. I was able to have fun in the snow with my dogs for the first time , it was exciting to see them enjoy it since it was their first time ever seeing snow. I also built a snow frog creature and made a snow angel . Not only that me and my mother recreated pictures from 10 years ago in our exact same house.” said Junior Elmesie Gonzalez

Through the crisis we all  as a community , a state helped neighbor by neighbor, friends , family and strangers who needed a helpinging hand . Whether they were in need of food , a place to shower to clean up , a place of warmth or a place to feel love and safe during this time period. And I’m proud to say that the citizens of Texas really came through for each other , it was beautiful to see and know  everyone who was affected were  well taken care of.

“What a week , but what a great week to have family and friends help you through the crisis. ” said Freshman Thomyla Simmons

English 4 teacher, Raylene Scott, was eager to take the vaccine. She was able to take her first shot early on in January, and finally took her second dose on February 2nd.

“I think the vaccine will protect me from getting a bad case of COVID, but I will still of course mask and keep a distance from those I do not know,” Scott said. “Lets just say that I will be comfortable enough to welcome more students in my classroom.”

Senior Razan Shakoor is committed to getting the vaccine when it becomes available to her, although she does not have any underlying health conditions that would pressure her to get it.

“I don’t think it’ll be strong enough to fully prevent people from getting COVID if they aren’t being safe,” Shakoor said.  “Due to that I will most likely continue to wear a mask and socially distance, not only to prevent myself from getting COVID, but to prevent spreading COVID to other people as well.”

Here are some of the public sites you can visit to get a thrilling and haunting experience nearby.

The Screaming Bridge – River Legacy Park

On February 4, 1961 a car filled with teenage girls coming from a movie plunged off a burn-off bridge killing two instantly and one at the hospital. The remaining two were in critical condition. They were going 45 mph in the darkness that prevented them from seeing the bridge, even with warnings from an old man. Today the bridge still stands, but it is closed off to cars. You can still reach it on foot, but according to the legend, when you step onto the bridge, you can hear the screaming of the girls on the fatal night, or the fire of a car under the bridge.

The House On Arkansas Lane – 2104 W. Arkansas, Pantego

This abandoned house on a hill is where a mentally ill boy killed his whole family in the late 1960’s. The property was owned by the Owens-Sharman family and their mentally ill son, who was abusively kept in the cellar. The house has a huge walk-in freezer where it is said he kept the bodies after he killed them, and later himself. The house still stands, but had been frequently been bought by companies which later mysteriously wanted to sell it. It is said that going in the home, you’d hear windows breaking, footsteps, slamming doors, and the freezer door opening out of nowhere. You can still see the house, now surrounded by a fence for an unknown reason.

Hell’s Gate – River Legacy Park

At River Legacy Park, there’s a trail that leads to two old fence posts. This was the last thing a union soldier saw before being hung during the Civil War. People say when they cross through the gate posts, they could hear the sodding of soldiers entering. The main phenomena is the red-headed guard standing next to the tree where the soldiers were hanged.

Arlington’s Lost Cemetery of Infants – 801 W. Mitchell St. Arlington, TX

Before UTA was built back in 1894, there was a place for single mothers called Berachah Industrial Home for the Redemption and Protection of Erring Girls. Later, in 1935, the institute was turned into a orphanage. The only thing that remains on the site today is a well-hidden graveyard where the young women who died in childbirth and stillborn babies are buried. Some of the graves of infants don’t have a names, only numbers, like “Baby No. 7.” When UTA was built, they placed a little park next to the cemetery. The legend says that if you walk through the park at night, you can hear the laughter of children, witness toys appearing and disappearing, and see the swings move by themselves. It is said that the park was meant for the children who weren’t fortunate enough to experience life.

With all these captivating places, it’s a perfect way to get to know the history of the area while enjoying the outdoors and getting into the autumnal spirit.  Anyone is able to explore these sites for some spooky chills and thrills this fall season.

Carlos Monterrosa and Luis Villegas contributed to this article.

“I think it’s cool for other cultures to acknowledge this month because they get to know the cool and interesting history that’s involved within the month, also because it’s not talked about as much in school.” said Averie Garcia .

Celebracion 

During Hispanic Heritage Month, those who celebrate recognize the contributions Hispanic Americans have made to American society and culture. They also celebrate by having events like parades, concerts, food fairs, and most importantly, educates.  There are about 60.6 million Hispanics that make up the largest minority group in the U.S., which is 18% of the nation’s total population. The month was established here in America by Representative Edward R. Roybal and President Lyndon Johnson in 1968.

“This month is very meaningful to me because it talks about my people heritage ,  just learning about its history is very influencing to me because my history isn’t really talked about in school.” said Garcia

I bet you’re wondering what is eaten during this month. Well, there are many delicious meals, like Menudo. Menudo is known to be a popular soup within the Hispanic culture that is made with beef stomach (tripe) in broth with a red chili pepper base. Usually, lime, chopped onions, and chopped cilantro are added, as well as crushed oregano and crushed red chili peppers. Enchiladas, a Mexican dish that is made with a corn tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a savory sauce, is another popular cultural food. Enchiladas can be filled with various ingredients including meats, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, or a combination of ingredients. Another Hispanic meal is Ropa Vieja, a Cuban dish consisting of braised flank steak that gets shredded. It’s cooked low and slow with tomatoes, pimentos, onions, and peppers, then gets a briny kick from olives and capers. There are so many dishes I could list that live within the Hispanic culture.

“I think it’s great for non-Hispanic people to try our foods to not only have good eats but to learn and know the flavors we use to bring out foods.” said Gracia.

Brought here as a Child 

I’ve spoken with junior Gabriela Lopez, who was brought here as a child. She explained that her mom and two uncles migrated from Honduras to America because they were in danger.  It was very difficult for her family to adjust to the new life in America because they couldn’t speak any English. Lopez and her family do not plan on going back to  Honduras to visit. 

 “Moving to America was good for me and my family because back home, we all lived in danger,”  said Lopez.

Let’s acknowledge this beautiful month filled with interesting history about its culture and delicious meals. Go out and try the delicious meals listed , learn some cool information about the history behind this month, be creative with friends and families and spread the love of this month and just Celebrar!

Tyianna Millsap and Asiah Darden-Simmons contributed to this story.

The first alleged threat came from an instagram user who posted on her story “whoever in tribe do not go to school Monday sum Ni**as want y’all dead! and i can’t lose my braddas” The instagram story went viral and caught the attention of the Arlington Police Department and the AISD. The threat made most of the students miss school on both day that is Monday and Tuesday.

The school principal, Andy Hagman had to calm down the parents and the students as the investigation continued.

“We are aware of the post on social media that contained rhetoric involving Arlington ISD and Lamar HS,” Said the Arlington Police Department. “Our team has worked throughout the night and determined there was no credibility or validity as of this morning ( 10/22/2019, Tuesday) we have increased our staffing at Lamar today”

Hagman acted quickly and immediately sent a message to the community to assure everyone that Lamar was both aware of the situation and acting on it accordingly.

“Parents i wanted to provide an update to let you know we are aware of the social media post that could be interpreted as a campus threat,” Said Hagman. “The Arlington Police department is also aware and they are actively investigating .”

The second threat was posted a few hours later by an unknown instagram user.

“y’all calling Arlington PD on me IDGAF im doing tomorrow be ready rest easy“. The Arlington PD was immediately notified about the follower. The APD  notified Lamar HS.

There was a decrease in students attendance the following day  most classes were half empty

The APD were  active and investigated  “we added addition security and APD on site ,like yesterday ” said the Arlington police department head.

The case was followed and the suspect was arrested

“it was just peer pressure from friends” said the suspect

Regardless of the intentions, it brought an onslaught of fear from students and faculty that soon won’t be forgotten.

AISD board members declined to extend the recycling company contract. While this may not seem like an issue, over time the issue could become a growing problem. To put in perspective, that’s at least two bins on each campus with 76 schools in the district, equaling up to 152 bins at  a cost of $7,600.

“I want to get back on recycling; we need a ton of paper to be gone. I want more improvement once we get back on recycling and especially, I would love for each individual to be more aware of the environment,” principal Andy Hagman said.

Since July 2008, AISD has recycled 1,525.187 tons of paper, 104.62 tons of cardboard, 55.18 tons of plastic and aluminum, and two tons of e- waste. The district is reviewing options with Moore Recycling and other recyclers to find out the best reasonable long-term solution; the district has called for extra trash pick ups to prevent an overflow of trash on the campuses.

“We need to own up to our responsibilities and strive to better our planet,” Hagman said.

The large sum of money would be designed to build upon the past 2014 District Bond Program in order to address four specific issues expressed district wide: facilities, fine arts, transportation, and safety. How those issues intend to be addressed in exacts is yet unknown, but one can imagine with students from financially struggling families and the impending threat of mass shootings in recent years, where the concerns might’ve arisen. 

“Building improvements are planned for all schools,” Said AISD Superintendent Marcelo Cavazos. “The majority of the proposed bond program is for renovations and rebuilding facilities to address significant condition needs.” 

A major point of the bond is in fact the renovation of the district’s oldest schools such as Carter Jr. High and general upgrades of a variety of facilities to better quality – one of the most notable being that of the buses, fine arts instruments, and uniforms.  

“The orchestra dresses are uncomfortable and unflattering on everyone,” Said senior Abby Smith. “They’re too long and all everyone constantly trip over them. On top of that they offer no wind resistance so cold air goes directly through.”  

The district provided numerous videos elaborating on their plans with the passage of the package including specific videos for each individual topic. Those videos can be found here.

“As a Board, we are excited about giving our voters the opportunity to address so many district needs that directly affect our students.” said President of the Board of Trustees for AISD Kecia Mays

The decision of the board came from an extensive study consisting of a committee of parents, teachers, principals, community members, business representatives, and college representatives. The committee hopes the package will tackle the district’s most intense and invasive issues, and that these priorities will reach through 2025 in their goal for a better environment for students and educators alike.

“On behalf of the Arlington ISD, I want to thank our community for voting in support of this bond package,” said Dr. Cavazos. “Thank you for your continuing commitment to our students and faculty.”