Two convicted prisoners mistakenly released, now recaptured

Sarah Kebea

Staff Writer

Authorities recaptured two Florida prisoners, Joseph Jenkins and Charles Walker, at a Panama City motel on Saturday October 19.  Jenkins and Walker were released from the Franklin Correctional Facility in Carrabelle with bogus paperwork, reducing their sentences to 15 years.  If it were not for a member of one of the murder victim’s families contacting prosecutors (victim’s families are automatically notified when a felon is released), authorities might not have known of the mistaken releases.  With the two convicts now captured, authorities have shifted their focus to the forged paperwork, Police have made no arrests so far in the investigation. 

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Department of Corrections are currently investigating the error in the system, starting with the Orange County Clerk of Courts Office.  The office gave the final answer to the release of Jenkins and Walker.  Authorities have found several red flags in this situation, each raising questions as to how the Clerk of Courts Office did not catch any of these.  A few days before leaving prison, Jenkins and Walker were registered at the Orange County Jail.  The registration required signed paperwork (both papers bore Chief Circuit Judge Belvin Perry’s signature, one that is easily found online), fingerprints, and a photograph before they walked out, not one question was raised.  Authorities are also investigating if there was a third party involved and how Jenkins and Walker went around Florida’s judicial system.  So far, authorities have not identified any workers who helped the inmates with their escape, but authorities will continue to investigate any possibilities of a third party.  

The mistaken release has caused The Corrections Department to now require early releases to be verified by not only prison officials and court clerks, but also judges (that issued the order).  Chief Circuit Judge Belvin Perry has also issued an order that prohibits judicial orders from being accepted at drop-off boxes and that also requires judicial assistants to keep a log of all orders to change an inmate's prison sentence.  

Walker and Jenkins have been transferred to the Orange County Jail, the two will be held in separate locations from each other in maximum security.  Both men were said to have cooperated in the recapture without incident, but as far as questioning is concerned, neither is cooperating.

Texas abortion bill deemed unconstitutional

Nicholas Chupka
Editor-in-Chief

A Texas judge determined House Bill 2, one of the most restrictive abortion bills in the country, to be unconstitutional Monday. The bill, passed in July, would ban abortions taking place after 20 weeks of pregnancy and would restrict doctors from prescribing certain abortion medications to women, including the drug RU486. District Judge Lee Yeakel claims certain aspects of the bill prevented doctors from making  key decisions that they may feel would be best for their patients, saying, "The admitting-privileges provision of House Bill 2 does not bear a rational relationship to the legitimate right of the state in preserving and promoting fetal life or a woman's health and, in any event, places a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus and is thus an undue burden to her."

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America stated, "Today's ruling marks an important victory for Texas women and sends a clear message to lawmakers: it is unconstitutional for politicians to pass laws that take personal, private decisions away from women and their doctors."

It may appear to be a major victory for the pro-choice movement, however, many women’s rights groups believe the judge did not do enough to stop the bill, saying that doctors should be allowed to prescribe abortion medication with little restrictions.

Many Texas officials have said Judge Lee’s decision is to be appealed at the 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

Texas governor Rick Perry claims the crusade against abortion rights is not over, saying, “Today’s decision will not stop our ongoing efforts to protect life and ensure the women of our state aren't exposed to any more of the abortion-mill horror stories that have made headlines recently. We will continue fighting to implement the laws passed by the duly-elected officials of our state, laws that reflect the will and values of Texans.”

Ask Apex: state opinions

Emily Nguyen
Staff Writer

What do Apex students think about the American states? Here are the results!

What is your favorite state?

North Carolina (44%)

XC Conference Championship 2013

Natalia Ghan
Staff Writer

Apex Men's Team after receiving conference title.

The 2013 conference cross country meet went off with a bang and finished as quickly as the Southern Wake athletes could manage.  After fierce competition among runners from eight local high schools, Apex boys finished in first while Apex girls placed third. The conference championship will be followed by a regional meet this coming Saturday, where the top four placing teams in each region will advance to the state meet.  

Science Olympiad show their savvy

Michael Lyday
Staff Writer

The team poses with their trophy.

Every year, a competition with twenty-three events takes place with junior varsity and varsity teams from high schools across the state competing for a chance to advance to the state championship. But this is no Olympic decathlon where athleticism and endurance win the day. It is rather the test of knowledge and cunning that is Science Olympiad.

Students receive the chance to compete in many scientific fields based on their interests. Events range from test-taking to lab studies to building, including anatomy and physiology, astronomy, and even creating and launching bottle rockets. Many participants partake in two events, while some take part in three or even four.

New Jersey legalizes gay marriage

Adam Mancini
Staff Writer

New Jersey became the 14th state to legalize gay marriage

New Jersey became the fourteenth state to legalize gay marriage on October 21, marking the end of a ten year movement for marriage rights in the Garden State. Republican Governor Chris Christie had vetoed a gay marriage bill last year and was attempting to make an appeal to the state Supreme Court to shoot down the bill when he abruptly withdrew the appeal, clearing the way for full marriage rights for gay couples across the state.

Apex high school varsity volleyball

Shauna Hines
News and Features Editor

The Apex High School women’s varsity volleyball team went into the conference season with high hopes of finishing with a perfect record. The team lost their final conference match against Holly Springs High School finishing with a 13-1 conference record. The team is still conference champions for the 2013-2014 season however, and Coach Emily Regan said the team, “Definitely showed the conference what we are made of.”

Upcoming Technology

Adam Mancini
Staff Writer

Technology is always evolving to fit the demands of consumers, and there are currently some exciting new products ready to hit the market. 3D printing has the potential to change entire industries, and smartwatches could quickly become the most coveted technology out there. Have a look at some of the latest gadgets ready to be released.

The Galaxy Gear

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch: Price: $299. With the release of the Gear, Samsung became the first company to stake their claim on the wrists of consumers. The Galaxy Gear is a watch designed like a smartphone; it can take calls, send text messages via S Voice, Samsung’s equivalent to Apple’s Siri, and can even take pictures. However, the Gear is not a standalone product; it is only compatible with the Galaxy Note 3, Note 2, the Galaxy S4, and S3.

Ask Apex: how good is your European geography?

Emily Nguyen
Staff Writer

How good is your European geography? This week, I chose ten well-known countries in Europe and asked people to identify them.

Out of thirty-five people polled, 65% named five or more countries. 31% knew eight or more countries. 14% could identify all ten countries. How well would you do? Email your answers to apexlegacy@yahoo.com!

State Fair Food

Devon McCarroll
Staff Writer

The NC State Fair is fast approaching, taking place from October 17-27. If you are excited for the smells, sounds, and tastes, you have good reason to be.  Some people come to the Fair for the rides, games, and animals. However, the tastiest exhibits are found inside the many food booths that line the walkways. The smells from food booth windows entice passersby to stop and taste their creations. If you are a veteran to the N.C. State Fair, you may already have your favorites that you need to munch every time the Fair opens its gates. However, be sure to keep your mind (and mouth) open for new food. A few State Fair staples include: mini doughnuts, pickles, ham biscuits, roasted corn, and the much loved NC State ice-cream. When you’re done grazing the classics, be sure to try some of the newer snacks, which include deep fried Twinkies, Oreos, cookie dough, and Kool-aid. Whatever you choose to nibble, be sure to walk around a lot afterwards to burn some calories. After all, state fair food is notoriously unhealthy (though it’s clear we don’t eat it for the nutrition). On the other hand, the State Fair only comes once a year.

Marching band competition

Shauna Hines and Casey Nash
Staff Writers

For the second time in Apex High School marching band history, the band won two competitions back to back. In their double header, the band did exceptionally well placing first in all categories except for one.

In the competition at Morehead High School, the AHS marching band earned first place in 4A class overall and the first Grand Champion win of the season.

Drum Major Justin Perkins

Upcoming Concerts to check out

Sarah Kebea

Staff Writer

Ben Rector's 2013 album, The Walking In Between

October 20-“Beautiful” singer Ben Rector is coming to the Fletcher Hall at the Carolina Theatre with Tyrone Wells, “More”, the concert will start at 8 p.m.  

October 25-The PNC Arena will welcome singer-songwriter Michael Buble, the concert will start at 8 p.m.  

November 2-TI and J Cole will perform at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex with special guests Kelly Rowland, “Motivation”, and Juicy J, “One of Those Nights”, the concert will start at 7:30 p.m. 

November 2-CMT on Tour: Hunter Hayes Let’s Be Crazy will perform at the War Memorial Auditorium in Greensboro starting at 7:30 p.m.  

November 3-Drake: Would You Like a Tour is coming to the PNC Arena with Miguel, “Do You…”, and Future, “Honest”, the concert will start at 7 p.m.  

November 6-The PNC Arena will welcome Bon Jovi Because We Can-The Tour, the concert will start at 7:30 p.m.

November 13-The 20/20 Experience World Tour supporting Justin Timberlake’s third and fourth studio albums (The 20/20 Experience and The 20/20 Experience- 2 of 2) is coming to the PNC Arena, starting at 8 p.m.  

November 16-The Greensboro Coliseum Complex will welcome American rock band The Eagles, the concert will start at 8 p.m.

November 19-“White Walls” and “Thrift Shop” artists Macklemore and DJ Ryan Lewis will perform at the PNC Arena with Talib Kweli, the concert will start at 7 p.m.  

Florida Georgia Line's 2013 Tour poster

November 23-If you missed Florida Georgia Line at the State Fair, the country duo will perform with Colt Ford, “Back”, and Tyler Farr, “Redneck Crazy”, at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.  The concert will start at 7:30 p.m. 

November 29-MGMT will perform at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) with special guest KUROMA, “In New York, Everything is Tropical”, the concert will start at 8 pm. 

For concerts coming to the State Fair, click here.

 

Food swap

Devon McCarroll
Staff Writer

Imagine this. You're exhausted from studying all night and you had to wake up earlier than usual. As you pack for school, your eyes start to get heavy. You need something that will keep you awake. Most would immediately run to their cupboard for coffee grinds or visit the nearest Starbucks, but what if there was a healthier way to stay alert? That energy can be found in tea. Instead of the syrup-and-sugar-filled frappuccino or an iced coffee with cream and sugar, try green tea or black tea with a dash of honey. Beyond having fewer calories, certain teas like oolong, green, and black tea can fight heart disease, cancer, and aid in weight loss. According to WebMD, green tea is rich in catechins. Catechins have been shown to be anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and can burn calories and lower “bad” cholesterol. Coffee has a bit more caffeine than (an average of 35 mg) tea, but has been known to alter heartbeats Instead of ordering that Pumpkin Spice Latte, make a pot of tea and add your own flavors (like fruit, cinnamon, and moderate amounts of sugar and cream). You will enjoy the refreshing taste and the guilt free conscience. 

Halloween Costumes

Casey Nash
Arts and Entertainment Editor 

With the end of the month right around the corner people of all ages are focused on one thing, Halloween. There are many fun aspects of Halloween. There are parties, candy, fun games and activities, but the most important part of Halloween has to be the costumes. 

Nobel prize winners 2013

Shauna Hines
News and Features Editor

The Nobel Prize in Physics

François Englert and Peter W. Higgs

"for the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed through the discovery of the predicted fundamental particle, by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider"

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt and Arieh Warshel

"for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems"

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

American James E. Rothman, American Randy W. Schekman, and Thomas C. Südhof

"for their discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in our cells"

The Nobel Prize in Literature

Alice Munro

"master of the contemporary short story"

The Nobel Peace Prize

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

"for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons"

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel

Three Americans: Eugene F. Fama, Lars Peter Hansen and Robert J. Shiller

"for their empirical analysis of asset prices"

Information found on nobelprize.org, the official website of the nobel prize.

Homecoming court

Shauna Hines
News and Features Editor

Congratulations to all on the Homecoming court and to Apex High School Homecoming Princess Hannah Ferguson, Homecoming Queen Ciara Gazaway and Homecoming King Justin Perkins.

Justin Perkins and Ciara Gazaway

Hannah Ferguson and Scott Ferguson

Experiencing a world away in Raleigh

Natalia Ghan and Emily Nguyen
Staff Writers

Russian Matryoshka dolls and other
handmade crafts.

The 28^th Annual International festival in Raleigh was lit up in colorful exhibitions of food, bazaars, and performances, with the theme of cultural arts, music, and crafts.

 Food, something the entire family is always interested in, was certainly in abundance all weekend. Unique as well as tasty, from the French homemade crepes to the Greek baklava, each stand sold a variety of cultural dishes. The small portions from the sidewalk cafes made it easy to sample a variety of foods.

 Besides food, participants were also able to shop world markets without leaving the city. Cultural merchandise like Vietnamese wooden wall decorations, Middle Eastern fabrics, Russian Matryoshka dolls, and Chinese fans could all be found in the bazaars. While handmade chess sets ranged upwards of $80, many items were sold for under $20, including African cow bone bracelets and intricate Asian hair ornaments.

Overcoming the blahs

Casey Nash and Nicholas Chupka

A happy young man

Staff Writer and Editor-in-Chief

Lethargy isn’t uncommon among high school students after experiencing a long, strenuous school week. A seemingly infinite amount of information to absorb, as well as the monotony of the school day may leave many students feeling as if they’re stuck in a rut miles deep. However, there are many cures for these feelings, often called the “blahs”.

Ask Apex: can you identify these people?

Emily Nguyen
Staff Writer

People are constantly exposed to new faces – so much that we’ve begun to ignore many of the people we see. Even if we recognize a name or a face, we still have difficulty identifying people we’ve seen many times. Over the past week, I have surveyed students and teachers to see if they could name famous individuals.

35 out of 90 people (39%) could identify Joe Biden, the vice president.

12 out of 90 people (13%) could identify Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader in the House of Representatives.

0 out of 90 people (0%) could identify Dan Brown, the author of Angel and Demons and The Da Vinci Code.

13 out of 90 people (14%) could identify J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter.

How would you have fared? Below are two pictures of famous people. Send in your answers to  apexlegacy@yahoo.com!