Bravo to the American Institute of Architecture Students at ASU for competing in a food drive. Architecture seniors Mandel McDonnell and James Parker organized the event that spanned across the entire Herberger Institute. It is important to remember those who are less fortunate, and not just at this time of the year. Daily hunger for some is a perpetual problem, not one that comes only in the holiday season. These students have set an excellent example for us to follow on a daily basis. Blessings are being counted as Thanksgiving nears, and hopefully these people will feel blessed this year too.
Boo to the assassination attempt on President Barack Obama. Twenty-one-year-old Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez fired shots at the White House last week. Authorities did not initially believe it was an assassination attempt, but the brevity of the situation became clear when bullets were found in between the outer glass and the bulletproof glass in a second-story window. This is close to the living area of the president and his family. Thankfully, the president and his wife were traveling when the shots were fired. Sure, you might not agree with the president or your representative in Congress, but disagreements are never solved with violence.
Bravo to the restoration of the Hayden Flour Mill. The Tempe landmark, conveniently located at the end of the Mill Avenue, will be renovated to house special events in the near future. The long-term goal is to create a community garden and turn it into a museum of sorts. The $600,000 project will help restore the Tempe landmark. The mill had fallen into disrepair in recent years, almost becoming an eyesore in Tempe’s otherwise gorgeous downtown. It will be a welcome change to have the historic mill as a contribution to Tempe’s vibrant nightlife.
Boo to a possible increase in Valley Metro fares. The costs of a one-way ticket would increase from $1.75 to $2 and $3.50 to $4 for all-day tickets. The monthly passes will see a price hike as well. Should the price hikes become reality, it would take effect this summer. Transportation has not been easy on students. Drivers were getting hurt at the pump, as gas prices seem to never go down. Now those who take public transit may have to empty more out of their wallets for transportation as well.
Bravo to Christiane Amanpour, who received this year’s Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism, given annually to extraordinary journalists by the Walter Cronkite School. Amanpour, a CNN veteran and host of ABC’s “This Week,” is famous for reporting from the world’s most dangerous cities and grisly war zones. And in an industry where women are routinely attacked in foreign countries, Amanpour is a true role model for young female journalists who want to dive in to foreign correspondence.
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