The East Side News is the student newspaper of Williamsville East High School in East Amherst, New York, co-advised by Mr. Huber and Mrs. Lanzone. Contact theeastsidepaper@gmail.com.
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- East
Editorial: A Statement from the East Side News on Democracy
The Washington Post’s most famous columnist and editor Bob Woodward, who exposed the Watergate Scandal among other high-level abuses of power, is credited with popularizing the phrase, “Democracy Dies in Darkness”. On January 6th, 2021, we watched in horror as an assassination attempt was made upon our democracy in broad daylight. The certification of the electoral votes is a purely symbolic process to affirm our democratically elected leader. Opposition to this process is opposition to democracy itself.Carry the Torch: Mrs. Mahaney
Please help us in congratulating Mrs. Mahaney for being the next TORCH recipient! Mrs. Mahaney has been an important part of East High School and a huge promoter of school spirit.Keeping the WE Flames Going with Winter Sports
The winter season is coming in fast! Take a step back from the Zoom-infested computers and play a sport. Let’s DIVE in.Girl Up Meets Olympic Gold Medalist, Emily Pfalzer!
The Olympic gold medalist shared her experiences and the trials and triumphs of being a professional female hockey player.
- News
Reforming Presidential Pardoning Power
As President Trump’s term is nearing its end, he has been issuing very questionable pardons. There is no question that the Constitution gives the President a vast pardoning power. However, some of President Trump’s pardons have raised questions on how to prevent abuse of this executive power. This article analyzes the constitutional background of the pardoning power, legal precedents, President Trump’s questionable pardons, and what steps should be taken to prevent future abuse.Federal Stockpile of Vaccines Empty
Not too long ago, states had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of new shipments of the coronavirus vaccine after Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced on January 12 that the federal government would be releasing many more doses from their vaccine inventory instead of stockpiling them up for second doses in an effort to get more Americans vaccinated with their first dose. However, it has just been recently revealed that there are no vaccines left in the inventory to ship, a major disappointment and concern for the country, as the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to climb dramatically.A Recap of the Georgia Senate Runoff Elections
Both Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock won against their Republican opponents, giving the seats a 50/50 split, but incoming Vice-President elect Kamala Harris, a Democrat, will be the tiebreaker in any 50-50 vote, giving the Democrats majority control.Mexico City’s Ban on Single Use Plastics Into Effect
On January 1st, Mexico City’s ban on plastic bags, utensils, and other disposable items took effect. The city of 9 million, one of the largest cities in the world, has spent the last year preparing for this ban. The law was passed by lawmakers in 2019 and Mexico City has been gradually instituting changes since.
- Entertainment
Top 10 Netflix Watchlist: For Those Times When You Just Need to Relax
With movie theaters and restaurants closed, the coronavirus doesn't leave us with much to do. Lucky for us we have streaming services like Netflix to keep us entertained! 2020 has not been kind, so here are some of our favorite shows that have made us feel better in these stressful times! If you are stressed out from school, work, or just need a break from reality, we got your back with some relaxing tv shows!Will Movie Theaters Survive With New Releases Being Streamed?
With the delay of anticipated blockbusters, like Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and the newest James Bond flick, No Time to Die, the expected move from big screen to intimate home viewings has movie critics and connoisseurs wondering alike: how will theaters maintain relevance or revenue?Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers Licence”: The Most Popular Song in 2021?
17 year old actress, Olivia Rodrigo, makes Spotify history and goes viral on Tik Tok with her new song “Driver’s Licence”- going No. 1 on Spotify in just 1 week!Why Harry and Marv from Home Alone Should Actually Be Dead
I’m almost certain that many of us watched the Christmas classic Home Alone over winter break. The heartwarming story of crime, child endangerment, and a sadistic second-grader who turns his home into a Saw-like maze of murder weapons.
- Sports
Bills Advance to AFC Championship
After beating the Baltimore Ravens 17-3 on Saturday, the Buffalo Bills are heading to the AFC Championship. The last time the team made it this far was the 1993 season before star quarterback Josh Allen was even born.Sabres Begin Their Season
On January 14, the Sabres played their opening game to the 2020-21 season against the Washington Capitals. Buffalo lost 4-2 after a long, slow-paced game. The following night the Sabres improved their defensive game but couldn’t create enough offensive momentum in a much closer 2-1 defeat. (It’s important to note that while both Linus Ullmark and Jack Eichel played in the games, neither of them were prepared enough due to Ullmark’s immigration issues and Eichel’s upper-body injury acquired in off-ice training.) This is clearly not what the team or fans wanted for the first double header.East Girl’s Swim Season Recap
Girl’s swimming at East definitely deserves some recognition for having quite the impressive season this year. With a record of 4:4, the girls swam well, despite the challenges they faced with COVID-19. There were 12 new additions to the team, with 13 returning members.Major NBA Trades So Far
This trading season in the NBA has been one of the craziest in NBA history. It has changed so many teams’ rosters and their plans for this season.
- Videos
- Photos
Homecoming 2019
East's cheerleaders perform at the Homecoming pep rally.The 2019 Homecoming Court.The Senior class of 2020's tug-of-war team. The class of 2020 would go on...
- Comics
- Commentary
“Death, Destruction, Terrorism, and Weakness”: the Capitol Raid and Trump’s Legacy
By Ryan Chou Source: Samuel Corum/Getty Images On August 2nd, 2016, President Trump tweeted, “President Obama will go down as perhaps the worst president in the...The New Georgia and Me: The Historic Nature of the Senate Elections
I lived in the state of Georgia for the years of 2007-2009, the year in which Republican Senator Saxsby Chambliss won his runoff election by fifteen points.No, Dr. Jill Biden Shouldn’t Need to Drop the Doctorate
After the historic 2020 election, the world is watching as a chaotic transition period begins. On January 20th, 2021, a currently uncooperative President Donald Trump will have to give Joe Biden the Oval Office. Accompanying Joe Biden will be his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, as the first First Lady to hold a doctorate degree. But many people are not celebrating this fact—instead, she is now under pressure to drop “Dr.” from her name.A Year of Hypocrisy for Republican Lawmakers
For the past few years since I’ve gotten more actively engaged in the events of modern American politics, something has become apparent to me this year: morality does not seem to matter because hypocrites keep getting elected and re-elected to their positions.Getting Rid of the Electoral College
The 2016 election was an extremely unique election for many reasons, one of them being that it was one of the rare times that a president won without getting a majority of the votes. The electoral college is what caused Donald Trump to get elected president over Hillary Clinton, even though she received almost 3 million more votes than him. It was at this time that many people noticed that the electoral college might be completely outdated, even though we continue to use it today. Continuing the use of the electoral college presents many problems, even if there were original positives to using it.
- East
Editorial: A Statement from the East Side News on Democracy
The Washington Post’s most famous columnist and editor Bob Woodward, who exposed the Watergate Scandal among other high-level abuses of power, is credited with popularizing the phrase, “Democracy Dies in Darkness”. On January 6th, 2021, we watched in horror as an assassination attempt was made upon our democracy in broad daylight. The certification of the electoral votes is a purely symbolic process to affirm our democratically elected leader. Opposition to this process is opposition to democracy itself.Carry the Torch: Mrs. Mahaney
Please help us in congratulating Mrs. Mahaney for being the next TORCH recipient! Mrs. Mahaney has been an important part of East High School and a huge promoter of school spirit.Keeping the WE Flames Going with Winter Sports
The winter season is coming in fast! Take a step back from the Zoom-infested computers and play a sport. Let’s DIVE in.Girl Up Meets Olympic Gold Medalist, Emily Pfalzer!
The Olympic gold medalist shared her experiences and the trials and triumphs of being a professional female hockey player.
- News
Reforming Presidential Pardoning Power
As President Trump’s term is nearing its end, he has been issuing very questionable pardons. There is no question that the Constitution gives the President a vast pardoning power. However, some of President Trump’s pardons have raised questions on how to prevent abuse of this executive power. This article analyzes the constitutional background of the pardoning power, legal precedents, President Trump’s questionable pardons, and what steps should be taken to prevent future abuse.Federal Stockpile of Vaccines Empty
Not too long ago, states had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of new shipments of the coronavirus vaccine after Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced on January 12 that the federal government would be releasing many more doses from their vaccine inventory instead of stockpiling them up for second doses in an effort to get more Americans vaccinated with their first dose. However, it has just been recently revealed that there are no vaccines left in the inventory to ship, a major disappointment and concern for the country, as the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to climb dramatically.A Recap of the Georgia Senate Runoff Elections
Both Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock won against their Republican opponents, giving the seats a 50/50 split, but incoming Vice-President elect Kamala Harris, a Democrat, will be the tiebreaker in any 50-50 vote, giving the Democrats majority control.Mexico City’s Ban on Single Use Plastics Into Effect
On January 1st, Mexico City’s ban on plastic bags, utensils, and other disposable items took effect. The city of 9 million, one of the largest cities in the world, has spent the last year preparing for this ban. The law was passed by lawmakers in 2019 and Mexico City has been gradually instituting changes since.
- Entertainment
Top 10 Netflix Watchlist: For Those Times When You Just Need to Relax
With movie theaters and restaurants closed, the coronavirus doesn't leave us with much to do. Lucky for us we have streaming services like Netflix to keep us entertained! 2020 has not been kind, so here are some of our favorite shows that have made us feel better in these stressful times! If you are stressed out from school, work, or just need a break from reality, we got your back with some relaxing tv shows!Will Movie Theaters Survive With New Releases Being Streamed?
With the delay of anticipated blockbusters, like Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and the newest James Bond flick, No Time to Die, the expected move from big screen to intimate home viewings has movie critics and connoisseurs wondering alike: how will theaters maintain relevance or revenue?Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers Licence”: The Most Popular Song in 2021?
17 year old actress, Olivia Rodrigo, makes Spotify history and goes viral on Tik Tok with her new song “Driver’s Licence”- going No. 1 on Spotify in just 1 week!Why Harry and Marv from Home Alone Should Actually Be Dead
I’m almost certain that many of us watched the Christmas classic Home Alone over winter break. The heartwarming story of crime, child endangerment, and a sadistic second-grader who turns his home into a Saw-like maze of murder weapons.
- Sports
Bills Advance to AFC Championship
After beating the Baltimore Ravens 17-3 on Saturday, the Buffalo Bills are heading to the AFC Championship. The last time the team made it this far was the 1993 season before star quarterback Josh Allen was even born.Sabres Begin Their Season
On January 14, the Sabres played their opening game to the 2020-21 season against the Washington Capitals. Buffalo lost 4-2 after a long, slow-paced game. The following night the Sabres improved their defensive game but couldn’t create enough offensive momentum in a much closer 2-1 defeat. (It’s important to note that while both Linus Ullmark and Jack Eichel played in the games, neither of them were prepared enough due to Ullmark’s immigration issues and Eichel’s upper-body injury acquired in off-ice training.) This is clearly not what the team or fans wanted for the first double header.East Girl’s Swim Season Recap
Girl’s swimming at East definitely deserves some recognition for having quite the impressive season this year. With a record of 4:4, the girls swam well, despite the challenges they faced with COVID-19. There were 12 new additions to the team, with 13 returning members.Major NBA Trades So Far
This trading season in the NBA has been one of the craziest in NBA history. It has changed so many teams’ rosters and their plans for this season.
- Videos
- Photos
Homecoming 2019
East's cheerleaders perform at the Homecoming pep rally.The 2019 Homecoming Court.The Senior class of 2020's tug-of-war team. The class of 2020 would go on...
- Comics
- Commentary
“Death, Destruction, Terrorism, and Weakness”: the Capitol Raid and Trump’s Legacy
By Ryan Chou Source: Samuel Corum/Getty Images On August 2nd, 2016, President Trump tweeted, “President Obama will go down as perhaps the worst president in the...The New Georgia and Me: The Historic Nature of the Senate Elections
I lived in the state of Georgia for the years of 2007-2009, the year in which Republican Senator Saxsby Chambliss won his runoff election by fifteen points.No, Dr. Jill Biden Shouldn’t Need to Drop the Doctorate
After the historic 2020 election, the world is watching as a chaotic transition period begins. On January 20th, 2021, a currently uncooperative President Donald Trump will have to give Joe Biden the Oval Office. Accompanying Joe Biden will be his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, as the first First Lady to hold a doctorate degree. But many people are not celebrating this fact—instead, she is now under pressure to drop “Dr.” from her name.A Year of Hypocrisy for Republican Lawmakers
For the past few years since I’ve gotten more actively engaged in the events of modern American politics, something has become apparent to me this year: morality does not seem to matter because hypocrites keep getting elected and re-elected to their positions.Getting Rid of the Electoral College
The 2016 election was an extremely unique election for many reasons, one of them being that it was one of the rare times that a president won without getting a majority of the votes. The electoral college is what caused Donald Trump to get elected president over Hillary Clinton, even though she received almost 3 million more votes than him. It was at this time that many people noticed that the electoral college might be completely outdated, even though we continue to use it today. Continuing the use of the electoral college presents many problems, even if there were original positives to using it.
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Williamsville East High School, 151 Paradise Road, East Amherst, NY 14151