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The Emery
Feature
Making the
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Senior Raymond Kim sets
aside marching band to join
color guard. He’s the only
male member this year.
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Opinion
Vaccines do not
cause autism
Check out the facts that drive
many people to vaccinate
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New teachers
15 new River Rats - who are
they, why do they teach, and
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U-M to expand natural gas Surya Raghavendran fights “unfair and deceptive”
power plant, prompts concern Michigan policies through Right to Repair
Julie Heng | Staff Editor
` The University of Michigan
is developing a power plant expansion
planned to reduce greenhouse gas emis-
sions by 80,000 metric tons per year.
That’s equal to cutting the electricity
use of 12,000 homes or removing 17,000
passenger vehicles from the road annu-
ally, according to the EPA.
This $80 million project will
add a new 15-megawatt Combined Heat
and Power (CHP) turbine to the exist-
ing Central Power Plant (CPP), which
provides electricity and steam to two-
thirds of the Central and Medical cam-
pus.
Currently, U-M campus needs
are outsourced. The CPP expansion is
expected to improve sustainability and
reliability.
When U-M first moved to Ann
Arbor in 1837, the campus was heated
by wood stoves. The CPP was built in
1914 to power U-M’s then-expanding
campus using coal-heated boilers. To-
day, the CPP runs on natural gas. While
most power plants lose 50% of energy to
excess heat energy, the current CPP has
an overall efficiency of 70-80%. This is
accomplished by generating more elec-
tricity and steam from excess “wasted”
energy.
However, at a public hearing
hosted by the Department of Environ-
mental Quality (DEQ) Air Quality Di-
vision on August 16 to discuss the proj-
The Student Publication of Huron High School
Volume 4
Issue 1
September
2018
New traffic changes are now in full swing
Jack Harrison | Staff Editor
Since last winter, Orchard,
Hiltz, & McCliment, Inc. (OHM) Advi-
sors, traffic safety experts who special-
ize in safety control matters, observed
traffic during several mornings and af-
ternoons at Huron. The moves comes
as the District and its Safe Routes to
School teams at every school, seeks
methods to improve traffic and pedes-
trian safety.
The Ann Arbor Police Depart-
ment, Huron Administration, and City
Traffic Engineers were also involved in
observations, improvements, and the
OHM report, which outlined short and
long term solutions for traffic safety
and the traffic proposal.
Liz Margolis, Executive Direc-
tor of Student and School Safety played
a major role in these changes, and she The new traffic pattern, taken from Huron’s website, prohibits cars from using the Huron Parkway entrance.
works directly with OHM Advisors in
other projects across the district. ing safety risks, for both vehicles and “We consulted traffic safety also been a decrease in student driv-
“I led the process with Huron pedestrians. Huron Principal Dr. Janet experts who spent time on our campus ers, which meant more parents picking
Administration
on developing What exactly are the new traffic changes?
observing
afternoon
the morning drop off and and dropping their children up at the
pick up of our students,” Huron Parkway circle. Secondly, when
solutions for Schwamb said. “These experts students either exited cars or crossed
Can students still park in the same lots?
the traffic is- How long will a commute take? Find out agreed that the Huron Parkway en- through bus and car traffic, it created
sues at drop off more on Page 2! trance, both in the morning and af- potential for injuries.
and pick up, ternoon, poses a dangerous threat to The move has prompted dif-
specifically the Graphics by Julie Heng
our students with the mixing of bus ferent responses among the school com-
mingling of bus- and car traffic.” munity. Senior Kelly Kramer parked
Schwamb understands how difficult Enrollment numbers are in the Baseball Lot last year, coming
es and cars off the Huron Parkway en-
trance,” Margolis said. and dangerous traffic has been in the steadily increasing across the district, through the Huron Parkway entrance.
This plan is aimed at reduc- past. increasing morning traffic. There has She is not frustrated See more | Page 2
National conversations on teenage suicide continue
Julie Heng | Staff Editor and awareness.
Epling has been leading of-
Kevin Epling missed his son ten-tough conversations for 15 years
Matt’s assault by 15 minutes. now, most recently with a group of high
Matt was tied up, lobbed with school journalists at Michigan State
eggs, covered in syrup and physically as- University. This time, he fielded ques-
saulted just 150 yards from his house. tions with psychologist Gigi Colombini
To the bullies, laughing with and Grosse Pointe South high school se-
the hood of the car propped up, this was
just a gag, a hazing ritual for high school
nior Grace Reyes.
All three emphasized the im-
freshmen. Matt thought he would be portance of more open communication
shoved into the car engine. He later and discussion, including mobilizing
decided to press charges for assault and youth, educating therapists and emer-
battery. gency workers, and community out-
The harassment only contin- reach.
ued in the Meijer parking lot, however. According to the Center for
“The only thing we also know Kevin Epling, MSU video producer and suicide awareness and bullying prevention advocate, speaks
Disease Control, suicide among teens
is that those young men came in while and young adults has tripled in the last
he was working one day,” Epling said.
at a Michigan Interscholastic Press Association panel in July alongside Grosse Pointe South senior
Grace Reyes. After Epling’s son Matt died by suicide, Epling passed “Matt’s Safe Schools Law” to 80 years, and high school suicide risk
“We don’t really know what transpired. ensure all Michigan schools have a bullying policy in place. Photo by Vivian Barrett. trends are only increasing. Suicide is
And everything up to that point there an hour. It was like a bomb went off. now the second leading cause of death
was really nothing out of the ordinary In that hour, 14-year-old Matt The world turned upside down. With- in ages 15-24, taking more lives than
in Matt’s world.” took his own life. It was 40 days after out warning, Kevin Epling was drafted cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth de-
Matt and Kevin were apart for fects, pneumonia, See more | Page 2
the first assault. into the world of suicide prevention
ect, some residents raised concerns over Jack Harrison | Staff Editor
the dirty byproducts of natural gas.
“I ask you, a citizen, to tell your
The DEQ’s primary permit
story about how Right to Repair could
engineer for this project, Ambrosia
affect you,” senior Surya Raghaven-
Brown, assured listeners that the esti-
dran has displayed on his petition page.
mates for the new CPP were well below
But here’s how it affects
national limits.
him and what he’s doing about it.
In case there is a violation of
Raghavendran owns SKR Screen Re-
compliance (e.g. emissions levels go
pair, which he opened several years ago.
above federally approved limits), the
He has been able to grow his business,
DEQ requires only monetary compen-
providing readily adequate services to
sation and stricter guidelines. There are
residents in the community and to Hu-
no regulations to account for the emis-
ron students.
sions’ effects.
But Right to Repair is a recent
The City of Ann Arbor hopes
obstacle that has consumed much of his
to reduce 25% of carbon emissions from
time and applies to not just his business.
2000 by 2025. So far, U-M has managed
“Right to Repair affects ev-
to keep energy levels constant near 2006
eryone, from farmers who work with
levels, despite continued campus expan-
tractors and combine harvesters to the
sion.
mechanics that fix cars and trucks,” Ra-
The university’s Energy Man- Raghavendran met with Senator Warren to discuss the issue and possible legislation at her Ann
ghavendran said.
agement Program promotes energy Arbor office. “It’s up to the manufacturers to disclose device schematics, diagnostic equipment, and
Right to Repair allows for any replacement parts to all that request it,” he told her. Photo provided by Raghavendran.
efficiency to reduce both greenhouse
individual to open, service, or repair a reader,” Raghavendran said. vironment.
gas emissions and utility costs. This is
consumer product that the individu- Raghavendran is advocating “I have seen the effects of
meant to create a gradual shift to renew-
al purchased. Raghavendran explained for this legislation because of how it af- e-waste double or triple in my life-
able energy. Over the last 12 years, ener-
the issue using referencing a car. For in- fects his business, as well as other small time, and e-waste is quickly becoming
gy use per square foot has decreased by
stance, if a windshield breaks, the own- businesses in repairing industries. a problem in many places,” Raghav-
16% across campus. Currently, 3 acres of
er can consult a private company, rather “Small Businesses are the back- endran added. “Right to repair would
solar panels on North Campus (20-year
than going to the dealership. Howev- bone of any economy; a large percentage help extend the life of these devices
partnership with DTE) provide 780,000
er, with an iPhone for example, most of this economy revolves around the re- and keep more of them out of landfills.”
kilowatt hours of electricity per year.
services can only be done by servicers pair of consumer electronics,” Raghav- But Raghavendran hasn’t just iden-
U-M’s Weisfeld Family Golf Center,
that Apple provides the code reader to, endran said. tified the need for Right to Re-
built in 2011 using mostly recycled ma-
which explains where and how the re- He further explained that pair. He’s doing something about it.
terials, is a geothermal building with 30
pairs can be made. phone-repairing businesses have to raid He first started an online peti-
percent estimated energy savings. U-M
“Right to Repair would allow software and parts to fix products. But tion to render support for Right
also purchases renewable energy credits
third parties to purchase and use a code Right to Repair can also benefit the en- to Repair in See more | Page 2
from a wind farm in Cadillac, MI.