By Deja Watts

When COVID started to get worse around this time last year, every establishment and college campus went on lockdown. College students went from being on campus to being home and learning remotely. Recently, an action plan was announced for Rutgers’ students to safely return to campus.

President Joe Biden announced that all states can open their COVID eligibility requirements which means that by early summer, it is expected that all adults will have at least one dose of the vaccine. On Sunday, March 25, Jonathan Holloway, the president of Rutgers, sent out an email stating that students could return to campus for the fall 2021 semester. The one stipulation is that students and faculty must be fully vaccinated. The only exemptions would be for medical or religious reasons.Rutgers is the first large university in the country to have a vaccination requirement to return to campus. There will also be on-campus vaccinations at Rutgers. 

COVID not only affected students but also professors.Tina Crafton is a professor for the writing department at Rutgers. When discussing her view on remote learning, she stated, “I like aspects of remote learning and I believe that certain students really benefit from its flexibility. However, I believe that online learning can be very difficult for certain subjects.” Some students were better in in-person classes than taking online classes while others were quick to adapt.

She confirmed that she will be returning to campus next fall. She is vaccinated and has been getting updates from immediate family. “By the time I received the vaccine, millions had gone before me so I was able to read up on the side effects. My son is an EMT and received Moderna in December. The folks who volunteered for the studies and who received the vaccines early provided important data for the rest of us. They are heroes to me.” She was fortunate to receive the vaccine along with future students that are returning to campus. 

Like many students, she is excited to return to campus. “I am eager to return to campus this fall and I have full confidence that we will do so safely. Rutgers has made really good public health and safety decisions during the pandemic. With proper protocols, I know it will be safe.”

Fall 2021 semester is going to be surreal.

Fall 2021 semester is going to be surreal. Students have not been on campus for an entire year. It may not be the norm we were used to before the pandemic due to protocols such as social distancing and masks, but the Rutger community is pushing back to a “normal” campus life while still taking precautions.

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By: Hannyah Alford

On an early Friday morning in the second week of February, an auto recycling plant caught fire in South Camden. A massive pile of auto parts was set ablaze, disbursing the toxic smell of smoke for miles throughout the city. Some residents concerned about the electrical smell turned to social media and called 911 to find answers. 

Over 35 firefighters stationed in Camden and Gloucester came to battle the fire, but harsh weather conditions made it difficult for them to seize the fire. The cold temperatures that on Friday morning prevented smoke from leaving the ground and extreme winds made it harder to apply water to the fire. A few firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation on the scene. 

It’s also not the first time emergency services have been called out to this site. Fire Departments have responded to numerous fires at this scrapyard over the past six months. The direct cause of the February 12th fire is still unknown and is currently under investigation. The EMR recycling company issued a statement about its plan to ensure the health and safety of local Camden residents. EMR offered food, clothing, and other resources to comfort residents during this time. 

Local residents repeatedly express health and safety concerns due to the frequent problems that occur at the site. These include air pollution, loud noises, and debris. One resident reported feeling her home shake from the explosion of propane tanks. The fire continued to burn for more than eight hours. Residents that lived nearby were able to evacuate and find shelter in two nearby schools, Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy and HB Wilson. Students at neighboring schools were able to go home early. 

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By: Deja Watts

Poland went through some major changes these last few weeks after its government declared a near-total ban on abortions. This news was very shocking and upsetting to the Polish community. Now, women can only get an abortion if it is a risk to the mother’s health and life, rape, or incest. With the announcement of this law, a major uproar erupted in the country. Thousands of men and women of all ages began protesting in Polish cities before the law took effect last October. In response, the Polish Constitutional Court postponed the implementation of the law due to the protests that went on for a month. On January 28, 2021, the Polish Government suddenly announced that the ruling was going into effect. 

The people of Poland finally have an idea about why the abortion law has now been put into place. The Catholic and Conservative Law and Justice essentially convinced the Polish Constitutional Court to approve the law. The particular reason for the circumstance in Poland is that the Roman Catholic Church has a very heavy influence in the country, where 87 percent of the population is Catholic. Nevertheless, the new law has not sat well with Polish citizens.

In one instance, angry young women went into churches and scorned priests with offensive words. Polish women feel that this law is a form of humiliation. They have even created a slogan called “Women’s Hell.” The hashtag, #WomensHell, can be found on Twitter where it has been one of the top tweets going back from October 2020 until now. One Twitter profile uploaded a video of the protest with Polish police officers trying to  “control the situation.” The clip shows police officers pushing protesters with shields, roughing them up tremendously, and pepper-spraying into the crowd.

The law against abortion strips women of their rights in Poland and mirrors the abortion law that some American states have passed recently. One example is Louisiana. The law states that it does not allow abortions when there is confirmation of a fetal heartbeat, which is usually present about six weeks before a woman knows she is pregnant. The women are only granted an abortion if it is a risk to their life. South Carolina has just passed a similar measure.

Honestly, it’s very upsetting that Poland is stripping women of their human rights. They have a right to be furious and protest. The government does not own women’s bodies, therefore, why should they have a say about what a woman does with it? They did not consider the possible effects an unwanted pregnancy can have on a woman’s mental health. Let’s have faith that the women in Poland will be able to get through this dark time and continue to voice their rights.

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