Indonesia executes foreigners despite international protest

Kenison Garratt
Staff Writer

Indonesia has formally notified 10 prisoners convicted of drug trafficking that their executions will be carried out as soon as possible. On Saturday, the nine foreigners and one Indonesian man were told their executions by firing squad were to be carried out in Besi prison on Nusakambangan Island. Indonesia has incredibly strict drug laws and often executes smugglers; more than 130 people are on death row, mostly for drug crimes. One third of these convicts are foreigners.

When Indonesian President Joko Widodo took office last October, he declared Indonesia to be facing a drug crisis. Indonesia has some of the toughest drug laws in the world. But Jakarta believes their country’s drug problem justifies their harsh punishments; 33 Indonesians die every day as a result of drugs.

The Apex High School Stunt team makes it to playoffs

Johunna Gatlin
Staff Writer

The Apex High School stunt team has had an undefeated season so far with a record of 5-0 beating Panther Creek, Cary, Green Hope, Athens Drive, and Garner. The team will be competing in this year’s playoff games hoping to win the first state title for high school stunt.

Apex senior Madi Yarish shares her excitement about playoffs. “It feels great to make it to playoffs. This was Wake County’s first season having stunt and I’m so proud of how well our team did. We really made a name for Apex stunt and I can’t wait to see how playoffs turn out for us.”

Plausible post prom parties

Natalia Ghan
Staff Writer

If you don’t want your prom night to end at midnight, here are some fun and safe after prom ideas. 

Bonfire - A great way to get to know your friends better is to have a bonfire. Roasting marshmallows, playing guitar, and telling ghost stories with friends who supported you through high school will make for a fun night.
  
Bowling - Bowling is a game that a large group of people can play, is relatively inexpensive, and something most people know how to do. Conveniently, midnight munchies can be overcome by the nearby concession stand.

Annual PeakFest returning to downtown Apex

Maya Horton
Staff Writer

This Saturday taste some food and have fun at the annual PeakFest festival held in historic downtown Apex.  From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on May 2, there will be vendors lining the streets offering food, trinkets, martial arts lessons, bubbles and more.  Balloons, bouncy houses, and local businesses will all be there.  There’s even a section catered to the kids in your family featuring Happy Dan the Magic Man and other entertainers.  The weather is predicted to be in the 70s and fairly sunny, perfect for enjoying a day outside.  Don’t forget the sunscreen.

Georgia school system announces random drug testing for students

Michael Lyday
Features Editor 

The Carroll County school system in Georgia has announced that it will begin random drug testing in its five high schools beginning next school year. This new program was put into effect after a unanimous decision by the county’s board of education. The testing will affect all student athletes, students involved in extracurricular activities, and students who drive and park on campus. The measure has been well received by parents and students, who claim drug use among student athletes has become an issue. Critics have taken issue with the cost compared to the success rate of such tests; school drug tests cost $24 each while only 1 in 125 tests return positive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 percent of public high schools have mandatory drug testing policies. 

Great albums to jam out to this summer

Nicholas Chupka & Michael Lyday
News Editor & Features Editor

Warmer weather is finally upon us with spring in full force and summer getting closer. Here are some essential tunes for fun in the sun this summer.

If you’re going for a road trip this summer or just riding around town, roll the windows down and turn up these albums perfect for singing/shouting along to:

 

To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar: this funky hip hop album filled with many memorable songs such as “King Kunta” and “i” will be the highlight of your ride.

Celebration Rock – Japandroids: this high-volume powerhouse features summer anthems such as “The Nights of Wine and Roses” and “The House that Heaven Built” complete with catchy, shout-along choruses, overdriven guitars, and powerful drumming.

Joyce Manor – Joyce Manor: though it clocks in at under 20 minutes, this outburst of punk rock force is not short of thrills, fitting catchy hooks and unbridled energy into a small package. Like a can of pressurized air thrown into a fire, this album explodes through your speakers in a short but impressive display.

Run the Jewels 2 – Run the Jewels: features a riptide of verses with unbelievable flow and chemistry by collaborators Killer Mike and El-P. Never worry about overplaying this one; with sparse choruses or repetition, there will always be an aspect that is fresh or that had unnoticed every time you put it on.

Apex Track dominates at conference meet

Matt Sholtis
Sports Editor

The Apex Men’s track team won the SWAC Conference title in dominating fashion on Wednesday scoring 194.5 points. The closest team to the Cougars was Green Hope who scored 111 points. This was Apex’s second consecutive conference championship.  

Events were split between the two day meet. The first event of the meet was the 4x800 meter relay. It was a highly anticipated race on the boys’ side as four teams (Panther Creek, Apex, Green Hope, and Cary) were all within a few seconds of each other. Apex pushed the pace the first three legs and had a pretty good lead, but Panther Creek’s fourth leg battled back and passed Apex down the home stretch to win the race by less than a second. In the 100 meter dash Apex owns the top sprinter in the conference on both the guys and girls side; seniors Tyler Cook and Sydnei Murphy. Both had the fastest time in prelims and both took home the conference title. Murphy was the only girl to break 12 seconds while Cook was the only guy to break 11 seconds. Apex continued its dominance in the sprints with a 4x200 meter relay victory, edging out Green Hope. The Cougars had another strong showing in the 1600 meter run. Sophomore Ben Savino and junior Derek Duin stayed in the front pack for the majority of the race and Duin even held the lead for 400 meters or so. Senior Wyatt Miller also was in the race and had a big kick on the final lap to catapult him all the way up to sixth place, while Duin and Savino finished third and fourth respectively. Apex was the only team to have three runners score (top 8) in that event. Apex also dominated in the field events on day one. The Cougars went 1-2 in the pole vault with senior Michael Utecht winning and junior Zach Taft finishing second, and senior Jon Stephens won the long jump.