Griffin Moeller
Co-Editor There once was an old man in a lighthouse. At the base of his towering candle-shaped home sat a weathered mailbox reading, “Residence of Johnny Orlando.” With his trusty Galápagos penguin Jalapeño at his side, Orlando climbed the spire every morning to activate the beacon in order to assist incoming shipping vessels. His deep hazel eyes would stare into the ocean void every day, reflecting the infinite grey and blue storm clouds beyond the horizon. The old man waited patiently for seabound visitors searching for lodging in the cliffside town of St. Bonneville. No one ever came, of course. After 86 years on the job, Orlando had never seen a single ship enter the bay with the help of his lighthouse. His only customers nowadays were the city folk, desperate to make a name for themselves by charting the roaring sea. The routine was simple: Jalapeño would squawk whenever he spotted a sailor and their crew marching towards the water, Orlando would help them prepare their boat for their voyage, and he would give them his warning, “No one has come back from these waters in over 100 years.” As the vessels disappeared into the fog, the old man would shout, “Farewell and goodbye, children!” Orlando had guiltlessly sent thousands of adventurers into the tumultuous ocean. While he had admittedly overstayed his welcome in St. Bonneville, there he remained. He thought that his final resting place would be his lighthouse. Perhaps Jalapeño would be at his side as his fate was sealed far from the dangers of the stormy void. One thing was certain in the old man’s eyes: he would never doom himself to the water. On one sunny morning, a few days before summer began, Orlando found a letter inside his mailbox. He walked to the top of the tower to read in comfort. The soaked paper had been blasted by the ocean’s foam and was barely legible. As the old man squinted his eyes, the words became clear. To Mr. Johnny Orlando, In order to expand the beautiful town of St. Bonneville, you will be removed from your sky-scraping lighthouse on the evening of June 2nd. The lighthouse will be demolished thereafter and you will be provided with a room in our luxury hotel. Accept these terms or be doomed to the stormy sea you have subjected the townsfolk to for decades. Love, Mayor Wagner Orlando crushed the paper with his dirt-encrusted fingers. He turned around to shout and curse his frustrations to Jalapeño, but his loyal penguin was nowhere to be found. The old man hobbled down the spiral staircase and swung the weathered front door open. Perched directly on the coastline was Jalapeño. Orlando knelt next to his 20 year old Galápagos penguin and began to cry. The warm tears felt foreign against his coarse cheeks, as did the feeling of fear in his heart. Suddenly, Jalapeño waddled towards the water. The penguin’s wings shook with what could only be anxiety. Despite the bird’s fear, it leaped into the silver ocean and swam into the void. The old man sat on the coastline for a long time. Why had his penguin left him? Why was he being forced out of his home? He felt safe there and did not want to leave. As he saw a couple of bounding dolphins resist the waves and disappear into the clouds, he came to a realization. If women, men, penguins, and dolphins can conquer the sea then so can I, Orlando thought. There once was an old man in a boat. After gathering up food, water, and a compass, the former lighthouse caretaker set sail. What rested beyond the sea no longer mattered to Johnny Orlando. The ocean was his to discover, and he hoped to find Jalapeño again someday.
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Charly Dixon
Staff Writer Most people have heard of the famous actor Johnny Depp, star of Pirates of the Caribbean, and the actress Amber Heard, best known for her appearance in Aquaman. The couple started dating toward the end of 2011 and Heard was spotted wearing an engagement ring in 2014.The two were married a year later; however, Heard filed for divorce in 2016 with accusations of abuse towards Depp. Heard stated that Depp was physically abusing her, usually while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Shortly after filing for divorce, Heard also filed for a restraining order against her soon-to-be ex-husband.. In March of 2019, Depp filed a defamation lawsuit against Heard and sued her for 50 million dollars. Defamation occurs when someone makes a false statement about another, causing harm to their reputation. Over a year later, in August of 2020, Heard countersued Depp for 100 million dollars. They finally entered court on April 11th, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia. The slandering of each other's names has caused Heard and Depp to be dropped from several acting roles. Heard was offered two million dollars to appear in Aquaman 2, which is scheduled to release in 2023. She testified that her role in the sequel was reduced and she is unsure if she will make an appearance in the movie. Heard also noted that she had to fight to keep her spot in the movie. Depp also lost his 22.5 million dollar Disney contract as Captain Jack Sparrow. Depp’s manager said that he was up to play the role again, but in an article published in The Sun Newspaper Heard quoted an op-ed in which she was calling herself a “public figure representing domestic abuse.”An op-ed is an denoting or printed on the page opposite the editorial page in a newspaper, devoted to the commentary feature articles, etc. The article was published in April 2021 after Heard’s allegations towards Depp were released. In the article, Depp was referred to as a “wife beater.” Depp sued The Sun publishers two months later; nevertheless, fans are still standing strong by his side. Supporters for Depp and Heard have been waiting outside the courthouse for several weeks now. As the exes arrive, fans line up the streets in support of their given side. People have made signs that say “Stand with Amber '' or “Justice4Johnny” for moral support. As of late, social media has caused a rift in the public, with people picking sides and defending the two actors. Heard went on the stand Thursday, May 26th, and started crying because of the harassment and torment she has received over the trial. Now that the trial has ended and they are in deliberation. Many supporters are just waiting to find out the result. Update: The results are in. As of June 1st, the jury determined Heard and Depp both liable for deflation; the jury has awarded Depp 10 million compensatory damages and Heard 2 million. |
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