NFL roundtable

Michael Lyday, Adam Mancini, and Matt Sholtis
Editor-in-Chief, Sports Editor, and Staff Writer

With the first quarter of the NFL season coming to a close, teams are fighting for footing in the standings. Here, we will discuss our opinions on the season so far and give our predictions as to what is to come.

Which teams have surprised you the most so far this season, either in a positive or negative way?

AM: On a positive note I would say that the Arizona Cardinals have impressed me the most thus far. Even with Drew Stanton starting at quarterback, the team has found a way to take down solid teams in San Diego and San Francisco to start the season 3-0. The Washington Redskins have been the biggest disappointment for me this season; they were blown out by the Giants on Thursday night and with the injury to Robert Griffin III, I don’t see them turning their season around.

MS: The Buffalo Bills have really surprised me in a positive way. They are currently in 2^nd place, only a half game back in their division which includes the Patriots and have played much better in four games than most people would have expected. Also the Arizona Cardinals have impressed me. They are undefeated and have beaten the Giants and 49ers with their backup QB Drew Stanton. Their defense especially their secondary is one of the best in the league.

ML: Cleveland, despite their 1-2 record, are actually a pretty good team this year. They have contended with Baltimore and New Orleans in close games, showing they can keep up with the best teams in the league. Conversely, Green Bay is reeling, standing at 32nd in rushing yards allowed while their feature back in Eddie Lacy only had 113 yards in the first three games.

Can you identify these logos?

Alex Sands
Staff Writer

The results are in.  We polled 57 people to see how many logos they could correctly identify. Five of these logos were ones we thought would be more commonly known by an Apex High student. The other five logos are marketed towards a more mature crowd. Do you think you can identify the logos?

The first five logos that we expected the average Apex student to know:

EV-D68 makes its way to N.C.

Kenison Garratt 
Staff Writer

The Enterovirus D68, a viral infection that mainly affects young people, has spread to the east side of the country and more recently six cases have been reported in North Carolina by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. Symptoms include: runny nose, sneezing and coughing, headaches, muscle aches and fever. Cases reported have ranged from mild to severe, with the virus more commonly affecting children under the age of five who have a respiratory illness. “Most of the children who got very ill with EV-D68 infection in Missouri and Illinois had difficulty breathing, and some had wheezing. Many of these children had asthma or a history of wheezing,” says the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the illness is more commonly caught by young children, it’s still important to work to prevent becoming sick as EV-D68 has no vaccine.

Durham police install car cameras

Henry McKeand
Staff Writer

In the wake of the Mike Brown police shooting and controversy over what police officers can and can’t do, Durham Police Department officers have installed cameras in many of their patrol cars.  The cameras are located on the dashboard and in the backseat of the vehicles.  While the cameras aren’t always activated, they are turned on when the emergency lights are activated, when the car goes over 85 miles per hour, and if the car is involved in a wreck.  The footage captured by the cameras is uploaded to a server and kept for a month before it is deleted.  However, the footage will be kept longer if it is being used in a criminal investigation.  Microphones are also attached to the bodies of the officers.  These microphones capture audio when the officers are out of their cars. 

White House security breached

Henry McKeand
Staff Writer

In less than one day, two men were arrested for trying to break into the White House.  The first man, Oscar Gonzalez, jumped the fence on Friday and was able to make his way into the building through the front door.  He was tackled inside of the entrance, and was found to be carrying a small pocket knife.  Gonzalez reportedly spent 18 years in the military and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder according to a family member.  He had no previous record of arrest and wanted to talk to Obama about his idea that “…the atmosphere was collapsing.”  While a pocket knife doesn’t pose a huge threat to the White House, his car was later searched and ammunition, hatchets, and a machete were found. The incident was treated very seriously and most of the building was evacuated.

Tips to make it through flu season

Rebekah Gould
Staff Writer

The new school year can bring around fun activities, new friends, and new germs. During the summer, students are not around a population of 2,600 students, eight hours a day, five days a week. Being confined into classrooms where hundreds of students rotate in and out every day can have a negative effect on the body.  Here are some tips on how to prevent getting sick and what to do when you are sick.

Australian terrorist plot prevented

Henry McKeand
Staff Writer

While Australia typically doesn’t have issues with terrorism, the nation has been on high terror alert and an attempted terrorist attack on Thursday has led to a feeling of unease.  The terrorist attack was foiled by the Australian government after it received intelligence that Muslim extremists planned a public execution.  They were planning to behead a member of the public and wrap the victim up in an ISIS flag.  Fifteen people were detained by the police, and two have been charged in connection to the terror plot.  One of the men was charged with possession of unlicensed ammunition and an unauthorized prohibited weapon.  The other man, named Omarjan Azari, was charged with conspiracy to commit terrorism.  The other detainees have been released.

Free iTunes download stirs controversy

Henry McKeand
Staff Writer

If you, like millions of other Americans, own an iPhone, then you may have the new album by popular Irish rock band U2 entitled Songs of Innocence.  On September 9, 2014, the band’s first new album in five years was put onto any iPhone that had the automatic downloads feature turned on.  While people usually react positively to getting free music, many people were upset by the fact that the album was uploaded to their phone without their consent.  It has sparked debate about privacy and security in the digital age, and has been a major point of controversy. 

New Teacher: Joshua Gurkin

Dylan Tastet
Staff Writer

Mr. Joshua Gurkin

College: Campbell University (undergraduate), N.C. State University (Master’s Degree)

Subject: Advanced Placement Physics

Inspiration: His high school chemistry teacher, Ms. Swan. “She was  able to effectively communicate her subject area to everybody, any type of student could do well in her class.”

Best high school memory: Winning the state Science Olympiad.

Family: A wife and a dog. He has one biological sister, and six stepbrothers and sisters on different sides of the family. “My parents divorced and remarried people who were divorced and remarried.”

Most embarrassing high school memory: Splitting open his stage costume for the high school play, fixing it with duct tape, then sidestepping around stage to hide the tear.

Favorite Hobbies: Making music (trumpet, handbells, singing), and computer programming “I know C#, VB.net, C++, and a bit of Python and Java.”

Favorite TV Show: The Big Bang Theory currently, but The West Wing, a political drama, is his all-time favorite. 

Playing with chalk isn't just for kids

Maya Horton
Staff Writer

Artists working on their chalk skills

A grassroots movement that started nine years back, SPARKcon, has become a yearly staple in the creative diet.  It never fails to impress, and this year was no exception.  SPARKcon is a unique festival, a self-described “creative potluck”, constructed of different creative themes, or “SPARKs” such as artSPARK, bazaarSPARK, circusSPARK, fashionSPARK, filmSPARK, geekSPARK, ideaSPARK, etc.  SPARKcon’s open-invitation group of volunteers is the driving force, diverting from the traditional structured festival.  Every SPARK is headed by a passionate group of individuals merging ideas to create events of great entertainment.  Fun surprises adorned Fayetteville Street.  Improv groups mingled with the crowd, heralding swells of laughter wherever they went, taking to the stage later for a mix-mash rendition of The Wizard of Oz, a performance that grabbed volunteers from the crowd to help with juggling stunts and spinning plates.  Chalk covered artists young and old scratched a rainbow of ideas onto pavement, taking pause to protect their work only during the short spurts of rain.  Geekspark showed up with a 3-D Printer rodeo that displayed the wonder in the technology and several interactive digital art displays.  CircusSPARK had free lessons for kids on aerial silks, parkour and hula hooping.  The acrobats displayed their bendable bodies as the parkour group provided a flurry of stunts and some impromptu hanging from trees.

CircusSpark displaying their acrobatic abilities 

Food trucks, giant cookies, fashion shows, are all SPARKs under the umbrella of creative fun.

Apex Jazz Festival hits downtown for the 4th year in a row

Aaron Koch
Staff Writer

Apex’s 4th annual Jazz Festival will be bigger and better, offering live performances throughout downtown Apex. The Chamber of Commerce will act as the Main Stage, featuring bands like MikeMickXer, Heart Brigade, and The Soul Psychedelique Orchestra. There will be other indoor venues along Salem Street (Salem Street Pub, Rock Harbor Grill, etc.) featuring Jamrock Reggae Band and Saints Apollo. You can get easy access to all events and refreshments with festival wristbands costing $10. If you don’t feel like coughing up the dough to get the full music experience, don’t worry. There will be plenty of outdoor performances along with seven different outdoor food dispensaries, including rib dinners at the fire station hosted by the Apex Rotary Club. 

New Teacher: Georgia Day

Katie Mazanec
Staff Writer

Ms. Georgia Day

College: She attended Western Carolina where she achieved her bachelor’s degree and then went on to N.C. State, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Fayetteville State to earn advanced degrees.

Subjects: Grad Point and Intervention

Inspiration: Being a former Apex student, “Elizabeth Mata (current Spanish teacher at Apex) because she made learning fun and interesting.”

Teaching history: “A long time about 20 years.” Day previously taught at STEM Early College High School.

Best High School Memory: Playing volleyball and lettering in swimming her senior year at Apex. Also, competing in the Foreign Language Competition with Ms. Mata.

What do you miss about the “old” Apex? “The old school colors- green and gold- the ones now are like Appalachian States’ colors which is Western’s rival!”

Most Embarrassing High School Memory: “When Ms. Mata asked to demonstrate the flamenco dance. I said no.”

Favorite Color: “Red for N.C. State”

Favorite TV Show: “Call the Midwife because it is about new life and people who can’t afford medical care in Great Britain.”-

Opinion: Growing domestic abuse problem in NFL

Dylan Tastet
Staff Writer

Anybody who watches the news has undoubtedly heard about Ray Rice’s domestic abuse scandal. While in an elevator in an Atlantic City casino, NFL running back Ray Rice punched his fiancée in the head, knocking her unconscious, and then proceeded to drag her limp body out of the elevator. Rice initially received a two-game suspension after admitting to the act, and was later suspended indefinitely after a video from the elevator’s camera was released.   It’s easy to believe that the NFL practiced good policy by suspending Rice indefinitely. Taking a closer look, however, it is apparent the NFL does little to enforce moral behavior among its players.

NCSU students design date-rape preventing nail polish

Kenison Garratt
Staff Writer

Four North Carolina State University students, in an attempt to prevent sexual assault, have created nail polish that changes color when it comes in contact with date-rape drugs. According to a recently conducted poll, nine out of ten students at Apex High know what the nail polish does, and out of those nine only one student knows what it is named. The nail polish is called Undercover Colors and the slogan for it is, “The first company empowering women to prevent sexual assault.” Freshman Manny Broadway says, “Women of the world can be safe.” Undercover Colors will be able to detect drugs such as Rohypnol, Xanax, and GHB. Undercover Colors co-creator Ankesh Madan, one of the creators, says, “Undercover Colors started out as an idea born in my co-founders’ active imaginations. As we were thinking about big problems in our society, the topic of drug-facilitated sexual assault came up. All of us have been close to someone who has been through the terrible experience, and we began to focus on finding a way to help prevent the crime.”

New Teacher: Leslie Dott

Henry McKeand
Staff Writer

Mrs. Leslie Dott

College: Bowling Green University

Subject: All 9^th grade English subjects.

Motivation to become a teacher: Dott wanted to become a teacher when she was a young child.  She loved Little House on the Prairie and dreamed about becoming a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse.  She loved languages, and has a major in Spanish.  “I combined all of my interests,” she said.

Previous Teaching Jobs: This is Dott’s nineteenth year of teaching.  She taught for sixteen years in Ohio and then two years at Daniels Middle School.

Best High School Memory: Dott was a self-professed band geek in high school.  She loved being in band, but her favorite high school memory involves her favorite English teacher.  He would sometimes stand up on the desk to teach and one day he picked up the literature textbooks and started throwing them at the windows.  “Anything revolving around band was amazing, but I’ll never forget Mr. Russell standing up on that desk throwing textbooks at the windows to make a point.  I might have to try that.”

Favorite restaurant: Enrigo Italian Bistro.

Best thing to do on a rainy day:  Putting on her fluffiest socks and sliding on her hardwood floors.

Favorite T.V. Show:  Rookie Blue is her favorite show.  “It’s about all of these young people trying to get themselves together, but they really can’t.” 

How Does Apex Compare to Other Schools: Dott says that it is very warm and welcoming.

Free Time Activities:  She enjoys running, having fun with her three kids, and reading.

Teaching Style:  She tries to do a mix of activities and blend styles.  “Here’s my philosophy.  If I’m bored, then they’re bored.” 

Opinion: Ferguson protests stress necessity for change

Nicholas Chupka
News Editor

Perhaps the most disturbing memory many of us have from this past summer is that of riot police barricading the small Missouri town of Ferguson and the violent scene that unfolded afterward, all spawning from the shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown by Officer Darren Wilson. The police reaction was anything but civil, turning a small Midwestern suburb into a modern day police state so many have come to fear. St. Louis County police appeared in Ferguson sporting full riot gear and military style weapons. In many cases police refused to identify themselves and removed their own badges from their uniforms. One journalist, Ryan J. Reilly, recorded footage of a police officer in riot gear arresting him for not leaving a local McDonald’s quickly enough after police told him to leave. Reilly took his feelings to Facebook after his release, saying, “A Saint Louis County police officer in full riot gear, who refused to identify himself despite my repeated requests, purposefully banged my head against the window on the way out and sarcastically apologized.” Wesley Lowry, another journalist arrested in the same McDonald’s claims officers announced, “We cannot guarantee your safety. We will not be answering 911 calls.”

Apple unveils new product plans

Jessica Stiehm
Staff Writer

Apple iPhones are one of the biggest fads of this decade. Apple unveiled two new iPhones that have several new features on September 9 in Cupertino, California. Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company was launching "the biggest advancement in the history of iPhones."

Nearby lunch options

Rebekah Gould and Sarah Kebea 
Staff Writer and Arts & Entertainment Editor

The biggest perk of being an upper classmen is the off-campus lunch pass.  As the year goes on, students get tired of going to the same restaurants over and over.  Believe it or not, there are other places to go besides Chick-fil-A and Bojangles.  Here is a list of a variety of restaurants, categorized by their distance from Apex High School:

1.5 miles and under: 

•        Schlotzsky’s Deli: When in doubt, go to Schlotszky’s. They have a wide range of options from sandwiches and salads to pizza and soup. Great for groups where everyone wants something different.  Deli. 
•       The Wake Zone Espresso: Many students rely on coffee to get through the day.  Wake Zone has Happy Hour Wednesday where all drinks are $2.50 from 7-9 a.m. and 2-4 p.m.  Bakery-Café.

2.5 miles and under:

•        Harris Teeter: Who would have thought to go to a grocery store for lunch? Harris Teeter’s deli has a special deal on Fridays where all whole hot and cold subs are $4.99.  Deli.  
•        Bruegger’s Bagels: Show your student I.D. and get a bagel sandwich and a drink for $5.39.  Bakery. 
•        Moes: Besides taco Tuesday, where you can get two tacos with chips and salsa for $4.27, Moe’s is also having a free queso day this Thursday, September 18.  Mexican. 
•        Lee Garden: The sit-down buffet is around $8.  Although it may not seem like there’s enough time to eat as much as you can, it will fill you up quickly.  Chinese.

      2.5 miles and over:

•        KFC: The $5 fill ups are back.  Get your choice of five different meals for $5 each.   Southern fast food.
•     Qdoba: Besides Moe’s, Qdoba is the other option for Mexican food. They have a special deal for students where you can get a $5 burrito meal or a free drink with any meal when you show your student I.D.  Mexican. 
•        Firehouse Subs: Show your driver’s license on your birthday and get a free sub. 
•        Panera: Panera has the widest range of options for lunch with soups, salads, and sandwiches.  Bakery-Café.
•         Panda Express: The quick and easy option is to order a Panda Bowl, which includes one side and one entrée, for $5.49.  Chinese. 

New Teacher: Jessica Boone

Mae Turney
Staff Writer

Miss Jessica Boone 
College: Colorado State for Undergraduate and N.C. State for her Master’s Degree

Subject: American History II

Inspiration: “I had two amazing teachers in high school, one taught history, and the other taught science. I also realized how much fun I had when I tutored kids, and knew that I was good at it.”

Best high school memory: “The homecoming parade of my freshman year, because my volleyball team was really great, and we got to be in the parade”

Most embarrassing high school memory: “When I fell down the stairs in the cafeteria, and I was wearing a skirt which went up over my head, everyone saw, and of course no one helped me up!”

Family: Mom, Dad, and one sibling, and a little brother.

Best Concert: Boone said that the best concert she’s ever been to is a tie between a Keith Urban and a Luke Bryan concert. “My sister-in-law got some of Keith Urban’s sweat on her, and I was pretty jealous.”

The peak of their class

Matt Sholtis
Staff Writer

The Apex Cross Country made a clean sweep of the "We've Got Class" Invitational on Saturday at Sugg Farm Park in Holly Springs taking home four first place trophies. There were four races at the invitational: an underclassman boys’ and girls’ race and an upperclassmen boys and girls race.

Apex men's soccer hoping to build off early success

Adam Mancini
Sports Editor

The Apex varsity men’s soccer team is determined to get that elusive conference championship. In each of the last three seasons, the team has come tantalizingly close to hoisting the conference championship trophy at last, but each time they have fallen just inches short. Time is running out for this year’s seniors to get that taste of victory, and head coach Kevin Todd is set on delivering that championship to his team. “I think it’s an important thing for seniors because none of them have won a conference title during their three years here so that would be extremely special,” he said. The mindset is no different within the team. Says senior defenseman Daniel Nugent, “I believe that we are the best team in the conference and we have a good chance to make a run in the playoffs. So basically, I expect us to win the conference and go from there in the playoffs.”

Hagan and Tillis face off in close Senate race

Henry McKeand 
Staff Writer

Elections are taking place on Nov. 4, 2014, and the North Carolina U.S. senate race is being looked at as one that could decide which party holds the upper chamber.  Senator Kay Hagan and Speaker Thom Tillis are facing off against each other in an extremely close senate race, due in part to the growing political divide in the country and the state.  Of all North Carolina voters, 42% identify as Democrats and 41% identify as being Republicans.  Hagan (D) is running for re-election, while Tillis (R) is the current state House speaker.  According to a collection of polls compiled and combined by the Huffington Post, Hagan has 45.4% while Tillis has 41.8%.  The remaining points are either undecided (7.0%) or for Libertarian candidate Sean Hough (5.8%).  Political experts are saying that Hough is creating problems for Tillis by splitting up the Republican vote. 

           

Upcoming fall concerts

Aaron Koch
Staff Writer

King Tuff 

Playing at King’s Barcade at 9 p.m. (doors open at 8 p.m.) on October 3. Much like the band Wavves, King Tuff is submersed in Surf Punk. If you enjoy modulated guitar, distorted vocals, and occasional self-loathing lyricism, surf punk is for you.

Flyleaf

A hard rock band from Belton, Texas. Playing at Cat’s Cradle at 8 p.m. (doors open 7 p.m.) on October 11. Dabbling in screamo like sounds (I’m so Sick, Sorrow, I’m Sorry, etc.), Flyleaf has cool feminine vocals with crunchy guitar distortion and the occasional scream of anguish.

Flying Lotus

An electronic hip hop artist playing at Cat’s Cradle at 9 p.m. on October 12. Flying Lotus is psychedelic electronica music with unique beats and melodies to express a sophisticated outcome of something out of the ordinary.

Dads

Their motto is to sit back, listen to their songs and just forget about everything bad. This fun, outgoing band is coming to Kings Barcade on October 25. This indie band runs on its post-angst lyricism and a collision of noise with perfect timing.

Senses Fail

A post-hardcore band from New Jersey is playing at Cat’s Cradle September 23 at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.). The band is a collaboration of traditional post-hardcore singing with screamo back vocals and crunch guitar riffs. 

Fall in love with these TV shows

Alex Sands
Staff Writer

Series Premieres:

Red Band Society (Fox)

Wednesday, September 17 9/8c

If you loved The Fault in Our Stars, you’ll love this new show from Fox. Narrated by comatose twelve year old Charlie in a comma, the show follows a group of adolescents in Los Angeles Ocean Park Hospital. The point of the show is to watch the teens’ experiences (from comedic to tragic), the coming-of-age stories within the characters, and to see the bond grow in these friendships that is represented by their red hospital bands.

Gotham (Fox)

Monday, September 22 8/7c

For the fans of DC Comics, get excited to watch a whole new side of Batman. Gotham, premiering on Fox, will expose fans to the background story of Commissioner Gordon. The show follows Gordon's rise to the top of Gotham City police department.