Diddy Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison
By Daniela Palatchi
On Oct. 3, 2025, Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, was sentenced with no bail to four years and two months in prison for his convictions on two counts of transportation for prostitution. Along with prison time, he will also have to pay a fine of $500,000. Diddy is the influential “fallen hip-hop mogul” who has been closely watched by the world for the past two years regarding accusations against him of sexual abuse and misconduct. Diddy was first arrested on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 after an indictment from the New York Grand Jury. He was accused on five counts: racketeering, two sex-trafficking counts and two counts of transportation for prostitution. His trial started in May of 2025 and ended in July 2025 when he was found guilty of violating the Mann Act and acquitted on his charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. From the day of his arrest to the day of his sentencing, Diddy had been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal jail in Brooklyn; currently, Diddy’s lawyers are urging Judge Arun Subramanian to request that the Federal Bureau of Prisons jail Diddy at DCI Fort Dix in New Jersey, a low-security prison with a drug treatment program to help him stay clean. Right before his guilty sentencing on Friday, Diddy made an emotional statement to the court where he begged the judge for mercy and apologized to his former girlfriends.
Georgia v. Alabama Football Game
By Tatum Trammell
On Saturday, Sep. 27, University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide and University of Georgia’s Bulldogs faced off in one of the most intense college football rivalries. The game was set at Sanford Stadium at UGA’s home turf in Athens, Georgia, and many fans tuned in for the excitement. The game was close with a score of 24-21, but the Crimson Tide ultimately claimed their dominance over Georgia, ending their 33 homegame-winning streak, which was the longest streak among FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools.
Government shutdown and party controversy
By Harper Scully
Today, Oct. 8, the Senate yet again failed to reach a solution on the spending bill, pushing the US government shutdown into a second week. On Oct. 1, the US began its first government shutdown in seven years. After many days of discussion, the Senate was still unable to reach an agreement on a funding bill, as the Senate continues to reject both the Democrats’ and the Republicans’ proposals. All US government services are temporarily suspended, and 40% of the federal workforce is going to be on unpaid leave. Pay for about 2 million federal workers has already been suspended, and only essential services like Border Protection, Law Enforcement staff, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, Air Traffic control and In-hospital medical care are required to work.
Greta Thunberg Deported After Imprisonment by Israel
By Trey Voegtlin
In early Oct. 2025, Israeli Forces detained environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who had been participating in a flotilla aiming to deliver aid to Gaza. Eye witnesses note that they saw her being dragged by her hair, beaten and forced to kiss the Israeli Flag. Thunberg and other detainees assert that they faced insufficient amounts of food and water and struggled with difficult living conditions. On Oct. 6, 2025, Thunberg along with 170 other activists were deported out of Israel to countries such as Greece, France and Italy.
Indirect Ceasefire Negotiations Between Israel and Hamas
By Riley Jones
On Oct. 6, Israeli and Hamas officials began indirect negotiations on a ceasefire in the Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. These negotiations followed pressure from President Donald Trump on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire and release hostages. The president has also offered Hamas leaders exile or amnesty in exchange for agreeing to his 20-point plan for peace. Israel has agreed to the 20-point peace plan, while Hamas leaders have accepted some of the terms but not the entire agreement. Hamas leaders have declared they will release all hostages if “proper field conditions are met.” Negotiating a ceasefire and hostage release would mark significant progress towards peace between the two countries; however, many more diplomatic negotiations will still be needed even if the ceasefire is secured.
Jane Goodall Passes Away
By Joy Ferguson
On Oct. 1, primatologist and animal advocate Dr. Jane Goodall passed away from natural causes. Goodall was 91 and the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a UN Messenger of Peace. Her work began in 1960 at the Gombe Stream Reserve in Tanzania. For decades, she studied chimpanzee behavior and discovered that chimpanzees use tools, have complex social lives and hunt. Her research in Gombe is the longest continuous field study of living creatures. Goodall was also an ethologist, conservationist and humanitarian. Through programs like Roots and Shoots, Dr. Goodall connected the protection of great apes and wildlife conservation to young people, empowering them to preserve and protect wildlife and the environment.
National Troops in Oregon
By Sabenah Abudu-Abrams
On Oct. 5, President Donald Trump attempted to redirect the California National Guard from Los Angeles to “war-ravaged” Portland, Oregon. In response, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that he will be suing Trump. As a result of Trump’s attempts, Judge Karin Immergut placed a temporary restraining order on the Trump administration banning any state troops from outside of Oregon from entering Portland. Meanwhile, Trump is set to deploy National Guard troops from Texas to Chicago today. He has also threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which could allow him to skirt governors and the courts in the deployment of further troops domestically.
South Carolina Judge’s house burns down after allegedly receiving death threats
By Alex Piazza
On Monday, Oct. 4, the house of South Carolina Judge Diane Goodstein burned down, sending three family members to the hospital. Prior to the incident, Goodstein ruled that South Carolina would not share voters’ personal data with the Trump Administration.
According to South Carolina Chief Justice John Kitteredge, the fire came from an “apparent explosion” that destroyed the home. The investigation is still ongoing, and police have yet to announce whether or not they have ruled out arson.
Senior days off for college visits and applications
By Brett Schlossberg
On Thursday Oct. 9 and Friday Oct. 10, Woodward Academy seniors will have two days off from school. The days off are for seniors to visit colleges or work on applications. According to Citizens Bank, the ideal days for college visits are from Monday to Thursday, so prospective students can see what a typical school day on campus is like. Visiting on Friday, Saturday or Sunday allows prospective students to see the campus, but it does not always allow them to see the school in full action. Not every senior is using the days to tour colleges; however, some are using the days off as an opportunity to work on college applications. Via Collegedata’s survey about senior year stress, 47% of students say their biggest source of stress is applying to college while school/life balance accounts for 16%.
South Carolina State University Shooting
By Akiva Bryant
On Oct. 4, two separate shootings took place at South Carolina State University, killing one woman, 19-year-old Jaliyah Butler, and injuring one unidentified man. The shootings took place during the HBCU’s homecoming weekend, after a football game vs. Savannah State University. On Oct. 5, 18-year-old Matthew Daniel McCoy was arrested and allegedly charged with pointing and presenting a firearm at a person and carrying a weapon on school property; however, it is unclear if the suspect is related to either shooting that injured the man or killed Butler. According to Police Chief Richard Johnson at a Sept. 16 campus safety hearing, South Carolina State University’s campus police is short-staffed, due to issues with recruitment and retention of law enforcement. As a result of the shootings, the university’s Homecoming concert was canceled, classes were canceled on Oct. 6 and the campus entered lockdown, currently only accessible to students, employees and investigators.
Texas law prohibits public schools from sponsoring LGBTQIA+ clubs
By Kaden Bruton
On Sept.1, 2025 Texas SB 12 took effect. The bill, largely couched in the language of parental rights, has a vast reach: it rejects hiring practices aware of race, sex or ethnicity; limits teaching subjects outside of the Texas essential knowledge and skills; and prohibits instruction, guidance, or club activities regarding sexual orientation or gender identity at any level.
In Aug., the GSA Network along with the Transgender Law Center and other LGBTQ+ organizations filed a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency commissioner Mike Morath and three school districts in an attempt to challenge the bill. The lawsuit claims the bill violates the First and Fourteenth amendments. The bill received backlash as people claim that the bill strips away people’s dignity and demonizes students and teachers for discussing gender and sexuality, making school another unsafe place for LGBTQ students and repressing gender expression.
The bill has also caused concern among school nurses in Texas who fear that routine medical care might run afoul of the new law and its broad language.
State representative Jeff Leach, a supporter of this bill stated “I believe strongly in this bill, because I believe strongly that parents deserve not just a seat at the table, but the seat at the head of the table when it comes to our kids’ education.”
Woodward Vs. Tri Cities Football Game
By Shaw Gordon
Woodward Academy took on Tri-Cities last Friday, Oct. 3. Woodward beat Tri-Cities 35-6. Their win brings their record to 5-2 this year; on the other hand, Tri-Cities’ record comes to 0-7. Woodward’s next home game is the Homecoming game on Oct. 24 against Decatur. Go War Eagles!