Pistol Pete Delivers At The College Level

By Connor Rowe –

Another in a series of stories profiling Penn Manor alumni who are doing interesting things with their lives after graduation.

Man or machine? Either way this guy is alumni.

Peter “Petey” Deluca is a Penn Manor High School grad from Conestoga, Pa., with a natural ability to stand between the pipes playing goalie in lacrosse like a brick wall.

Courtesy of www.facebook.com

Deluca’s legendary career is entering its prime as he decided to continue his athletic success from Penn Manor at Jacksonville University – 80 degrees and sunny has its obvious advantages.

According to Deluca, his college team is dedicated.

“Everyone works hard and looks forward to practice,” he reported.

However, Deluca’s high school career needs more explanation as he was one of the top goalie prospects in the nation.

He earned all-American status as a junior along with first team all-district and two all-league honors.

He finished his senior season with 241 saves and a 70.2 percent save rate. The three-year captain demonstrated more than just lax skill in high school as he was a captain, member of the National Honor Society, Gold Honor Roll student and an AP Scholar.

Deluca played with Blue Mountain, a stellar summer lax club since ninth grade and played for Adidas Central Pennsylvania’s team as a rising senior.

Deluca’s skill never kept shy in high school as he constantly proved to be the best athlete on the field contest to contest.

The best athlete on the field in high school proves a lot to the high school world, but what about the best athlete on the division-one playing surface?

The dedicated player has taken his abilities to the next level as expected for the JU Dolphins where he has jumped in with the elite division-one bunch as a starter. Many freshmen don’t receive any playing time and often redshirt because of their less than hopeful chance of playing time.

Jacksonville Mens Lacrosse Jerseys Courtesy of www.facebook.com

Deluca has proved otherwise as he’s been receiving tons of  recognition for his star-like play.

Deluca couldn’t say enough about the difference in play between high school and college.

“Well it’s a different game. Pretty much everything changed, the athleticism was obviously the biggest difference,” he said.

Deluca’s first game was a duel that will help his career, he recalled.

“I’ve never played for more than one thousand fans let alone in stadiums that have capacities of about 80,000 spectators. It was crazy and a lot of fun.”

Staying in Jacksonville would satisfy nearly all teen athletes. However Deluca’s career has never settled for the easy road.

The Lancaster county native has been flying all over the country to reach games.

Deluca focusing on the Georgetown attackman Courtesy of www.jacksonville.com

“It’s wild, a completely different experience. I just got back from Denver where we played two games including Denver and Air Force.”

This first college appearance was an exciting match-up even if the final result was a loss.

Deluca’s continued college play has just improved to 2-2 after a huge win against Air Force to put the Dolphins back on track. The freshman had a personal NCAA career-high 15 saves.

The talented freshmen has a lot more fame to come as his success continues to rise. Deluca has been featured on lax.com and in a Paul Rabil, the Michael Jordan of lacrosse, video.

Deluca is excited to continue the college season and hopes to make the NCAA tournament.

To find more visit Penn Manor sports

Father Intends to Make Son’s Murderer Suffer

By Sarah Garner

“I do intend to kill this man,” were the words of  John Foreman after he heard of his son’s killer was possibly being released from jail.

In 1975, 16-year-old Michael Woodmansee kidnapped, raped and stabbed 5-year-old Jason Foreman to death in Kingstown, Rhode Island and then stored his body in a trunk.

Jason Foreman was presumed to be missing until 1982, when Woodmansee attempted to lure another young boy into his home. The boy got away and the police then began to question Woodmansee about Foreman’s disappearance. He confessed and was convicted of second-degree murder.

Michael Woodmansee awaits his trial. Photo courtesy of http://www.projo.com/news/.html

According to True Crime Report, Woodmansee confessed to fantasizing about how fun and easy it would be to kill a young boy. He then told police he stripped Jason’s flesh and shellacked his bones.

When Woodmansee’s home was searched, authorities found Jason Foreman’s skull, bones and a journal he kept that detailed the gruesome killing.

According to Foxnews.com, John Foreman had an interview with WPRO-am radio saying that he will kill his son’s murderer “as aggressively and as painfully as he killed my son” if he is released from jail early.

John Foreman also told the radio station that Woodmansee explained in his journal how he would eat young Jason’s flesh.

“That’s what he thinks about. That’s what is still on his mind I’m sure, if he gets out again, to do this again,” said Foreman.

To relieve the Foreman family from not hearing the details of their son’s death and in hopes of never hearing of him again, Woodmansee pled guilty to second degree murder in 1983, and agreed to be sentenced to 40 years in prison.

According to the Providence Journal reports, Woodmansee is set to be released 12 years early, which infuriated the Foreman family.

John Foreman now regrets agreeing with the plea deal that is possibly going to release the man who murdered his son.

“I’ve got myself to blame for that…allowing him to be released early to become a predator to someone else,” Foreman told WPRO-AM radio. “I’m to blame for all that, and I’ll make it right.”

“I do intend, if this man is released anywhere in my vicinity, or if I can find him after the fact, I do intend to kill this man,” said Foreman. “I cannot think, I cannot sleep. All I think about is trying to find a way to get this man, to kill him.”

“He was concerned and outraged about Woodmansee’s scheduled release,” Amy Kempe stated on Monday, a spokeswomen for Attorney General Peter Kilmartin. “He was urging the Department of Corrections to consider all avenues available to keep him behind bars.”

Left: Michael Woodmansee (now), Right: Jason Foreman (age 5) Courtesy Photo of http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http

Kempe stated that the office will work with the Department of Correction to review all legal options that are available.

Patricia Coyne-Fague, chief legal counsel for the Department of Corrections, also stated on Monday that she had not yet heard from the attorney general’s office, but that usually the only time an inmate can loose good time he’s earned for early release is if he misbehaves.

Although, in result to Woodmansee’s “good behavior” in prison, he now has 12 years taken off his sentence.

Coyne-Fague went on to explain the law that has allowed Woodmansee to earn up to 10 days off his sentence for every month he behaved. He also managed to hold a job in prison which also made him eligible to receive up to two additional days per month off his sentence for every month he worked.

To protect Woodmansee, he served just about all of the last 23 years of his sentence in prisons in Massachusetts instead of Rhode Island, but returned the Rhode Island last week.

If no other legal actions occur, Woodmansee is set to be released in August.

“He doesn’t deserve to get out of prison,” said Tom Foreman, John’s brother, in an interview with NBC News. “It’ll be like letting an animal out.”

Japanese Earthquake Sends Tsunami towards U.S. Soil

By Kendal Phillips and Connor Hughes –

LATEST UPDATE: According to YahooNews the official death toll reached 1,833 on Monday, but the number did not take into account the 2,000 bodies that Japan’s Kyodo News said had been found in the hard-hit Miyagi Prefecture on Japan’s northeast coast.  At least 2,369 people were missing on Monday, the National Police Agency said.  Meanwhile, the second explosion in two days occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

BEFORE & AFTER DEVASTATION PHOTOS

The Japanese have been hit by one of nature’s biggest punches.

An 8.9 magnitude earthquake, the largest to ever hit Japan, struck Thursday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.causing a 23-foot tsunami wave.  Hundreds of people are reported dead or missing as the wave swept away boats, cars and homes while far-reaching fires burned out of control, including at a nuclear power plant.

The quake has already been followed by more than 5o aftershocks, many of them reaching a magnitude of 6.0 which have been felt as far away as Tokyo. The resulting tsunami headed toward Hawaii and the U.S. west coast at speeds of up to 620 mph.

Tsunami hitting Japan Photo credit: USATODAY.com

As far away as Millersville, Pa. is from Japan and Hawaii, a few people in Penn Manor High School are waiting news on the disaster about the conditions and safety of their friends and relatives.

Jen Felegi, a senior, has a grandmother, Sumi Okawa who is originally from Japan. She said she checked this morning if  her relatives in that country are safe.

“Yes, I’ve spoken to my sister.  Everyone is okay,” said Okawa, contacted by Penn Points Friday morning.

Penn Manor senior Lauren Ressler was waiting to hear about an uncle, Alex Victorino, in the Marine Cops stationed in Japan. Ressler said she was worried about some reports that mentioned a building collapsed near where he is stationed.

Later in the day, Ressler got word her uncle, whose daughter attends Hambright Elementary, was not injured in the quake.

A few hours later, the tsunami hit Hawaii and warnings covered the Pacific, as far as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West Coast.

Waves were predicted to hit the western coast of the United States between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. EST Friday.  Evacuations were ordered for parts of Washington and Oregon.  All harbors are closed and vessels were being ordered to leave the harbor.

Cindy Stoner, a chemistry teacher at Penn Manor was on the beach in San Diego when the tsunami waves were rolling in Friday morning.  She said in a phone interview that the “waves were coming in clumps, bunches, 10 to 15 minutes apart.  The animals are quite worked up.”

She estimated about 100 people were on the beach watching the waves.

Stoner said the tsunami was hitting at low tide with a water temperature at about 57 degrees.  Despite warnings, she said “people were preparing to swim” in the strong waves.

Police said 200-300 bodies were found in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai, near the epicenter of the quake, according to Chron.com.  Another 88 were confirmed killed and at least 349 were missing.

In Japan, large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode the high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses and snapping power lines.

Upturned and partially submerged vehicles were seen floating in the water and ships anchored in ports are crashing against each other.  Train services in northeastern Japan and Tokyo, which normally serve 10 million people a day, were suspended.  Tokyo’s Narita airport was closed indefinitely.

Residents near a Tokyo Electric Power Company nuclear reactor on Friday were ordered by the government to evacuate because of a possible radiation leak as Japan’s strongest earthquake in over a century shut down power plants and oil refineries.

Tsunami in Japan. Photo credit: USATODAY.com

The plant’s system was unable to cool the reactor, although the reactor was not leaking radiation, its core remained hot even after the shut down.  The plant is 170 miles northeast of Tokyo according to USATODAY.com.

Dave Bender, Honors Earth Science teacher at Penn Manor, said there should be some concern about the fire at the nuclear power plant.

“This could affect us but it depends on the extent of the damage (at the plant),” said Bender.  “Nuclear power plants have come a long way in their design and the accident at TMI helped.”

“Japanese are well-prepared for earthquakes because they get so many of them,” said Bender.  “They use a French design that is considered the best.”

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said Kauai was the first of the Hawaiian islands to be hit by the tsunami.  Water flooded the shore of Honolulu and swamped the beach of Waikiki.

Penn Manor student Jing Li took Japanese lessons when she was in China from a teacher who now lives in Tokyo.

She received this e-mail this morning from the teacher to her students:

“I am planning to teach your Friday morning at a regular time, but very bad case, I can not.

We have had earthquake today — most people in Tokyo are ok, but all the trains/subways stop for hours.  I was so lucky I came home early today.  (me and my family are ok, but not my room…)

Right now, we still feel some shakes constantly since 2:45 p.m. (right now after 6 p.m.).and according to the news right now, we may lose some power (electricity) tonight(=our JP lesson time).

I think we will be just fine,”  assures Ms. Reiko

Officials warned that the waves will continue and could become larger, but a scientist at the tsunami warning center said it didn’t appear that they would cause major damage in Hawaii.

“But there is going to be some damage, I’m sure,” said geophysicist Gerard Fryer in Hawaii.

Paranormal Fads go Mainstream, Penn Manor not Amused

By Vaughn Stetler –

“They are just trying to jump on the wagon and make the most ridiculous things ever,” said freshman Austin Stetler.

The new trend on some cable channels is to load up on paranormal investigative programming.

For the History Channel, it’s Monster Quest, the Travel Channel has Ghost Adventures and Syfy brings to the table Ghost Hunters. It seems that every time you change the channel, a new paranormal series is coming out and most students seem to think that the first one is more out-there than the last.

Syfy Investigative Team. Image owned by Syfy.com

The first show to appear on the scene was Ghost Hunters, which aired October 6, 2004.  When this show came out, it inspired waves of merchandising opportunities and some other networks decided to join in on the opportunity.

On October 31, 2007, the show Monsterquest launched its T.V. programming with the story of the American Loch Ness Monster.  It had a three-year run in which it did rather well, but not everyone was on board with the new programs.

Travel Channel. Image owned by Travelchannel.com

“I think that some of the stuff is based on facts, but they do embellish some of the facts,” said junior Josh Morgan.

Morgan also said, “They may actually be hearing something moving around but, that could be any number of things from animals to even the wind, but they jump right to the fact that it is a ghost instead of looking further into it.”

Though not everyone is as doubtful as Morgan, the general consensus seems to be the same among Penn Manor students.

“I don’t think that all of the stories can be explained away,” said senior James McElroy, “but they actually might make things up in order to make the show interesting and not have people start tuning out.”

“I used to watch these shows all the time, now I think it just a bunch of made up hoaxes to get people to watch the shows,” Stetler said.

Whether it is real or fake most Penn Manor students do seem to be tuning out.

New Wireless Network Lightsquared may affect GPS signals?

By Cheyenne Weber –

Recalculating.

Millions of GPS units are sold around the world and direct people to their destination they intend to go.  But maybe not so much in the future.

Two basic technologies consumers depend on – high speed internet and global positioning devices are on a collision course as companies vie to upgrade connections.

Lightsquared is working to upgrade internet connections across the nation. Image courtesy of IT Geek Blog

A new high-speed wireless network called Lightsquared 4G is being installed across the nation to upgrade internet connections but the signals could block GPS signals, cause them to lag and interrupt service, leaving GPS users lost. This could even affect aircraft which are flying by a GPS system.

“The bigger conflict puts two of the most popular consumer technologies against each other: the growing wireless networks that power iPads and smartphones, vs. the network of GPS satellites that enable much of the same technology,” said Alan Levin, a technology writer for USA Today.

According to Leving, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wants the LightSquared Network to hook up 100 million customers by the end of 2012.  At the same time the FAA – Federal Aviation Administration is raising concerns about the possible interruption to GPS systems.

A cell tower has more than one transmitter to handle the calls and texts but more towers and more signals from internet services may interfere with established GPS signals.

That could lead to serious problems for drivers and airlines, said the FAA.

Although representatives from LightSquared say “it has filters that prevent its signal from interfering with GPS devices, others are not so sure.

Example of How GPS connection works. Image courtesy of Riggosrag.com

In fact, a group has formed calling itself “The Coalition to Save Our GPS” has formed to protect the GPS signals.  A member will testify soon to the House Commerce Appropriations Subcommittee on the issue, said Levin.

“The company has no interest in harming GPS because it is essential to the very smartphones on its networks,” said LightSquared’s executive vice president Jeff Carlisle.

Levin reasoned that the FCC gave Lightsquared a go-ahead to start their network because of the amount of jobs it will create and to force more competition into the broadband services industry.

Laughing Club is Contagious and Spreading

By Cassey Graeff-

Feeling Down? Take a gander at laughing.

Laughter is thought to be a mental medicine because it can brighten somebody’s mood along with putting some pep in their step if they are feeling down.

Some teachers here think the benefits of laughing should be put to use and they have used it in their classes – sort of like a laughing club.

Kim McMullen, an art teacher at Penn Manor, said everybody needed to gather around the front table before anybody could leave. Students stood around with straight faces wondering what she was about to say when suddenly she began laughing obnoxiously and a few kids couldn’t help but laugh back.

“Mrs. Hay started it in her classes and they do it all the time, almost everyday,” said McMullen.

According to CBS news, laughing for one minute is equivalent to ten minutes on a rowing machine when comparing heart rates.

“It gives you an ab workout, lowers your blood pressure, and people think you’re crazy,” said Teri Hay an art teacher at Penn Manor.

When we laugh, we change psychologically. Muscles stretch, our breath quickens, and oxygen is transferred to our tissues similar to the effect of working out, according to the same source.

Even though some kids join in with laughter, Hay says that “Most kids try not to laugh.”

While working out has benefits, laughing portrays some of the same ones. This may be the reasoning why laughing causes a change in mood for the better. You may feel healthier after a good laugh because your body just had a “mini workout.”

“A guy in India started it, and they laugh together for an hour every morning about corny things like being broke,” said Hay.

Laughing is said to be far more contagious then a cough, sniffle, or sneeze, and even boost your immune system because of relieving stress.

According to help guide, laughter relaxes your whole body and for 45 minutes after a good laugh your muscles remain relaxed. Also, laughter triggers the release of endorphins which gives you a sense of well-being and may temporarily relieve pain.

“It makes you feel better at the end of the day,” said Hay.

Lindsay Lohan – a Thief?

By Olivia Bailey and Cassie Kreider –

Lindsay Lohan, the 24-year-old actress, has been accused of stealing a $2500 necklace from a store in Venice, California. The Los Angeles Police Department has handed the case over to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office. They have obtained a search warrant for her house.

When they got it, a friend of Lohan’s brought the necklace to the Pacific Division police station.  Los Angeles Times was told that a surveillance camera showed Lohan wearing the necklace.
However, she claims she “borrowed” it and her stylist forgot to return it. According to ABC New, this is not the first time she has been linked to missing jewelry. In 2009, Lindsay Lohan was in England when $400,000 worth of jewelry went missing from the set of Elle magazine. They say, “Elle has no reason to believe that Lindsay Lohan was in any way responsible.”
Dezire Diaz, a Penn Manor freshman says that Lindsay Lohan probably didn’t steal the necklace, “She has better things to worry about”
Lindsay Lohan making her way to court to be charged with felony grand theft.
If she is convicted she will serve up to three years in the California State Prison.
According to Hollywood Life.com, Lohan showed up to the court in a snug white mini-dress for the occasion.
She pleaded not guilty and after took her fifth mug shot and paid $40,000 for her bail. Her probation has been revoked.
According to TMZ, Lidnsey Lohan’s attorney Shawn Chapman Holley said,”We vehemently deny these allegations and, if charges are filed, we will fight them in court, not in the press.”
The necklace was said to be a gold choker with green, semiprecious stones.
A video was released showing Lindsay in the jewelry store and now the store is selling the tape.

Higher Education Takes a Hit in New Budget Proposal

By Jordan Lyons and Lauren Ressler –

Money.

It’s the subject of almost every newscast and newspaper article across the country. Increasing national debt, state budgets in crisis, and personal finances are stirring a movement to reverse this accumulation of unpaid money.

Republican Gov. Tom Corbett announced Tuesday his plans to reverse this trend and cut Pennsylvania’s state budget by billions of dollars.

And the main target?  Education.

According to published reports, Corbett wants to oust over 1,500 state workers, freeze school employee’s salaries for one year and cut budgets for public education and higher education. He said he is fulfilling his campaign pledge to decrease the deficit without additional taxes or costs to the taxpayer.

“The substance of this budget is built on four core principles: Fiscal discipline, limited government, free enterprise and reform,” Corbett said.

The state subsidy to the fourteen state-owned colleges in Pennsylvania is expected to be cut by 50 percent. This means tuition could potentially skyrocket and the availability of financial aid will, most likely, drop. What does this mean for students going to college?

With state budget cuts, college tuition may soar.

It’s going to be expensive,” predicted Penn Manor senior Caitlyn Whirt. “It’s already hitting hard. Financial aid is extremely hard to get.”

Phil Gale, Principal at Penn Manor High School said his worst fear is that students won’t go to college, that they will leave in greater debt, or that parents will be pressed to pay more out of pocket.

“We knew the budget was changing, but I was surprised by how much is being cut from higher education,” said Gale about the about the 50 percent cuts to state college budgets. “In a state like Pennsylvania, that’s a lot of money.”

Students, like Whirt, are relying more on scholarships and banking on receiving student loans to help them pay for school in the fall.

Senior Katie Maisel is aware of the rising tuition, but she said this will not affect her college choice. Maisel, who will be attending Penn State’s Honors college in the fall, said her parents want her to apply for more scholarships because of the drop in state funding.

Due to an expected increase in tuition for state-funded higher education, students may turn toward private colleges and out-of-state institutions as a more affordable option.

Dr. Mike Leichliter, superintendent for Penn Manor School District, said public institutions of higher education have always been the more affordable option for students.

“They (students) go for a good program at a lesser cost,” said Leichliter about state programs.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett addresses the media in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Bradley C Bower, Politics PA)

Phil Gale, however, emphasized private schools’ ability to give out more financial aid in the form of grants and scholarships because they do not rely on state funding.

Conservative legislators have always favored a smaller government and these cuts to public institutions may be paving the path to an all-private education.

Leichliter and Gale both agree that technical schools and community colleges may become a more common road for students after high school. These smaller educational institutions are more affordable and more goal-oriented, providing students with focused studies.

“We already support technical training at Penn Manor,” said Lichleiter. “We send more students to CTC than any other school district in Lancaster.”

Students and families are weighing their options and their wallets, while state-supported colleges scramble to reconfigure their budgets.

Pa. Budget Cuts Pose a Threat to Public School Funding

By Faith Walauskas and Brandon McCormick –

Governor Tom Corbett called for a nearly $1 billion budget cut in state spending for schools and a one-year freeze in salaries for all school employees during his budget address Tuesday.

Those who may benefit from Corbett’s budget plan will be the taxpayers, said Corbett in a public statement, because their taxes won’t rise. He made it clear that there will be a rise in property taxes, and there will be teacher layoffs.

Political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College, Dr. G. Terry Madonna, told Penn Points the state governor is arguing that he’s simply doing what he was elected for.

Dr. G. Terry Madonna, political analyst. Photo courtesy of F&M

Corbett repeatedly pledged during his campaign that he would not raise taxes.  But he did target school funding.

“Education takes the hardest hit (from the proposal),” said Madonna, a leading political analyst in Pennsylvania. “it seems the state is going after education.

“There’s going to be a pretty significant reduction in services from public schools,” reported Madonna.

“I see it as a win for the working folk,” said Corbett in his statement.

Superintendents from local school districts are not as enthused.

“We’ve made reductions (for next year) already,” said Dr. Michael Leichliter, Penn Manor Superintendent, who noted the district’s projections were within 1 percent of  the governor’s proposal.  “We’ve cut mid-day transportation for kindergarten, cut individual school budgets by 25 percent, we’ve cut maintenance.”

Penn Manor will see an 8 percent drop in its state funding, from $11 million down to $10.5 million. That reduction is just under the $1.5 million average in cuts for school districts in Lancaster County.  The School District of Lancaster, which has the largest student population and budget, may see a reduction of more than $7 million in its state funding next year.

While Leichliter said the Penn Manor District is “alright” this year, he predicts bigger cuts in programs and services in upcoming years.

“In the next two years or so we are going to be making such big cuts that some parents will say, ‘this is becoming too personal for us’ and perhaps reverse the trend,” Leichliter said. “But we do have to

Teachers are one of the targets in the governor's budget. Image courtesty of NEA

be willing to make some changes.”

At the same time, state representative Scott Boyd, a Republican from West Lampeter Township, is proposing a bill that would allow schools to cut their staff even if they don’t see a significant drop in enrollment.  The Pa. School Code now states that districts can only eliminate staff if enrollment drops significantly or it is reorganizing or programs are being eliminated.

Leichliter said staff reductions at Penn Manor are being done through retirements this year but the future may not be as painless for public school employees.

“Most states permit schools to furlough employees for economic reasons and Pennsylvania (currently) does not,” said Leichliter.  “There will continue to be a huge gap between our revenue and our spending.  In future years, every school district is going to need to consider furloughs.”

A local Democrat was outspoken in his opposition to the budget proposal.

“The proposed cuts to education mean that they’re going to be paying higher property taxes locally,” said state representative Mike Sturla, in a Lancaster Newspapers article.  “Their kids are probably going to have another five or 10 kids crammed in their classrooms.”

The salaries of teachers, administrators, even janitors will be frozen for one year under Corbett’s proposal, a move that is estimated to save taxpayers $400 million.

“I am aware of the budget cuts, but to the best of my knowledge, however, the salary freeze is (at this time) a recommendation by Corbett. I don’t believe he can mandate something like that,” said Penn Manor assistant principal Jason D’Amico.

Teri Hay, an art teacher in the art department believes that “what made America’s education strong is creativity.”

“No cuts will be made in the arts, but materials will need to be rationed,” Hay said. “I hope that Corbett makes education a top priority– it’s the future of our country.  Education should be the last thing to be cut,” Hay stated.

Penn Manor principal Philip Gale is glad the cuts are what they are and not what be believes they could have been,

“We’re feeling a bit of relief,” says Gale, “We anticipated the cuts- we’re glad it wasn’t worse. Public schools are in for a challenge.”

Madonna added, “(Pennsylvania’s) debt is nowhere near other states. (Ours) is more manageable. Now they are just figuring out how to deal with a four-billion dollar deficit.”

Kendal Phillips and Robin Brenner contributed to this report.

Has Charlie Sheen Lost His Shine?

By Bobby Rehm –

“I am on a drug. It’s called Charlie Sheen. It’s not available. If you try it once, you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body.”

Chances are that you’ve heard this quote before. It’s just one of the many quotes that “Two and a Half Men” star, Charlie Sheen has come up with recently. The difference here is that these aren’t part of the show, these are all Sheen.

The former star of one of the most popular comedies on television has been bringing attention to himself, and quite a bit of it is negative. Between his porn-star girlfriends babysitting his kids, his new found drug use, or saying completely absurd things on TV interviews, many would say Sheen’s reputation is going down the tubes.

“I like the show but not him as a person,” explained senior, Dillon Walker.

And many others agree with him.

Charlie Sheen at his best. Photo from theinsider.com

“He is crazy. What’s wrong with him?” said phys ed teacher, Billie Jo Atkins.

Although many see Charlie Sheen in a negative light, some find themselves on the border.

Senior Casey May says that she likes Sheen in “Two and a Half Men,” but not so much as a person. Many people felt similarly when asked the same question.

“At least someone is baby sitting his kids,” said Brian Dunne. There are even a few people that find his recent behavior acceptable and like Sheen.

“I love him,” said senior Brock Kauffman. “I like him because he simply doesn’t care what people think.”

Despite crazy interviews, irresponsible treatment of his kids, and demand of a pay raise, some people will like Sheen for who he is, which he believes is a “Rock Star from Mars”.