The Witherly Heights Yearender: News Story of 2018

Witherly Heights asked the Alsion community which local, domestic or international news story had the most impact this past year.  Here are some of the events we considered unforgettable.

The biggest news story was the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Kavanagh. This story captivated the nation and illustrated where we are as a society. I think the impact of this process will continue to reverberate for years.

–Joey Morrison

Probably the amount of shootings and school shootings. The fact that it is almost considered normal in America is shocking.

–Rowan Tuttle

The one where Serena Williams accused the referee of being sexist.

–Khushi Shah

There have been so many big news stories this year–the 2018 election, the USA gymnastics scandal, and the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, to name a few–but to me the most influential by far has been the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, because of the impact it has had on the American social consciousness.

–Jessica Anthony

Political positions and elections played a big role in the U.S., England, France, Brazil, etc. and how these political systems will influence and shift global institutions and markets.

–Jennifer Schriber

One news story that was very scary to me was the Florida school shooting at the beginning of 2018. This event, on top of many others, caused me to realize how unpredictable our society is, and it made me question my safety at school. On a more personal level, I guess the fires since it impacted our class schedule, and it made it hard to go outside.

–Anonymous

There is no doubt about the most impactful event for me and for UC Davis this year: the wildfires in Northern California, particularly the Camp Fire that burned 240 sq. miles and killed 88 people. The most devastating wildfire in California’s history seriously affected UC Davis, with classes being canceled for 7 days around Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving due to very poor air quality. Face masks were handed out on campus, and everyone was encouraged to stay inside. In the aftermath, professors, faculty, and students were all left to play catch-up in the fast-paced 10-week quarter system, which was about as much fun as it sounds. We had it bad, but many others had it much worse, and I send out my best wishes to all those affected by the fires. It all goes to show how desperately we need to address the issue of climate change.

–Anika Varma

Class of 2017

The release of the climate change report from both the IPCC and the Trump Administration.

–Varnika Dhandapani

Definitely the Parkland shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School. It was the biggest news story for a number of reasons. It made a lot of people my age realize that shootings like the one that happened in Parkland could happen to anyone and that schools are not necessarily safe places anymore if more gun control measures are not enacted. It also gave a platform to a lot of people our age to voice their concerns about the world. The young people that had the courage to speak out and fight for what they believed in after the incident made me, and a lot of other people, realize the impact that our generation can make on the world.

–Kimia Faroughi

The killing of Jamal Khashoggi because it set into motion an investigation and forced the country to really analyze our ties to Saudi Arabia. I also think it might have played a role in Congress to evaluate our relationship with Saudi Arabia in regards to the Yemen war. It was also very jarring to see how much power Saudi Arabia had and still has and how influential MBS is, especially in regards to the western world.

–Ananya Hindocha

The midterm elections likely had the greatest impact this year. Not only was it highly anticipated, but ended in record high voter turnout and over 90 women elected to the House.

–Sonia Pramanick

The California wildfires.

–Ram Charan

Unfortunately, I have to copy and paste my opinion from last year.  Things have not changed: the ongoing Syrian civil war.  Bashar al-Assad is the devil incarnate: frustrated by the protracted strife of his own doing and the intransigence of his opponents, he is now targeting civilians and bombing hospitals.  How can we let this all go on?

–Paul Go