Most Notable Newsworthy Events of September
Editor Zach Myers writes “This week was chaotic in terms of headlines, but one story takes the cake” (Jadyn Jacobs).
Image: Katie Moum on https://unsplash.com/
October 23, 2025
Zachary Myers, Editor
Makayla Wrigley, Editor
I usually don’t get interested in following up on the news. I rarely watch it on TV anymore because nowadays it has become so untrustworthy and biased towards certain sides of the aisle (republican or democrat). I normally just skim articles until something interests me. That got me thinking: why not break down the most important/notable news headline of each week of each month? I’ll lay out the facts and then share my perspective.
Monday the 1st - Saturday the 6th:
This week was chaotic in terms of headlines, but one story takes the cake. Forty two year old Gonzalo Leon Jr of Houston, Texas, has been arrested for murder in the shooting death of an 11 year old boy named Julian Guzman. The boy was shot after ringing Leon Jr’s doorbell, pulling the infamous “ding dong ditch” prank: ringing Leon Jr’s door bell and attempting to run away before being seen by the homeowner. After the police arrested him, they searched his house and found over 20 firearms which included AR-15s and shotguns. The police did not classify the case as self defense since it didn’t occur at Leon Jr’s house. A judge will determine later if he is fit for release on bond.
Even if ding dong ditch pranks are juvenile and stupid, there is no reason for someone to die because of it, especially someone’s child. Julian was no different than any other kid his age, wanting an adrenaline rush and thought of a somewhat normal idea for his age. While you can understand Leon Jr being angry at the situation, that is no excuse for going to extreme actions because of the prank. This was not self defense, this was an execution and one can only hope that the state of Texas sees it as such.
Houston Man Allegedly Fatally Shoots 11-Year-Old Boy Playing 'Ding Dong Ditch' Prank
*Note: There will be two stories for this week, as two news breaking moments happened. The second story will be written in collaboration with one of our editors, Makayla Wrigley.
Sunday the 7th-Saturday the 13th:
An act of abhorrent violence took place in Charlotte, North Carolina and while it took place over a month ago, footage of the attack has gone viral over the past week. Twenty three year old Ukrainian woman Iryna Zarutzka was stabbed while riding the Lynx Blue Line at 10 pm on August 22nd. The suspect in the case, 34 year old Decarlos Brown Jr, sat directly behind her when he got up and, without warning, stabbed Iryna. Brown Jr has a criminal record which includes larceny, breaking and entering and serving 5 years in prison for robbery with a dangerous weapon. His next court hearing is scheduled for September 19th.
There are no words I can use to describe how horrific the attack on this woman is. The fact that this man was out in the first place is ridiculous, considering his violent criminal record. There is a reason the three strike law exists in some states; so that the third criminal act will be punished harshly based on previous events. If this existed in North Carolina, this evil man would be locked up and this young woman would still be alive. There have also been reports surrounding Brown Jr's mental health but that shouldn’t matter. He took the life of an innocent woman and should be punished fully.
Sunday the 7th-Saturday the 13th (Part 2):
One of the most notable political assassinations in recent history just took place. Charlie Kirk, the founder of the famous conservative organization Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University. Kirk was touring college campuses, as he usually did with Turning Point USA. He was seen by many, especially Donald Trump, as converting many young people to being conservative in the age of social media. Support has poured in from both democrats and republicans, namely Trump, JD Vance and Barack Obama, who have all called for an end to political violence. Kirk’s death continues a year-long trend of politically motivated death attempts, including the multiple attempts on Trump's life and the attempted arson of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home. Despite multiple reports, the person of interest in the shooting is still at large.
*Note: The opinion piece for this news story is written by Makayla White
“Courage is contagious. Stand for truth and impact the world around you.”
Today, my heart is heavier than words can hold. The news of Charlie Kirk’s death does not feel real and putting it on paper is something that I do not want to be doing. A man who dedicated his life to shaping conversations, challenging and educating young people and refusing to bend to the pressure of conformity—gone in an instant, taken from the stage he was born to stand on.
Charlie Kirk was not just a political figure. Charlie Kirk was a father, a husband, a son and a man who spread the word of God. He believed in standing firm when it was easier to stay quiet. For a generation of students like me, who often feel lost in a shuffle of voices, listening to–and watching Charlie Kirk was a daily essential. Charlie Kirk taught us that courage is not always comfortable but necessary.
What I admired most was not just what he said, but how he lived. He was unapologetic in his convictions, unafraid to confront critics and unwavering in his belief that young people had the power to change the world. He carried himself with a confidence that reminded us faith and truth were not negotiable, even in a culture that constantly tried to bend them, and did so by educating–not arguing.
His death is devastating, not only because of the voice we lost, but because of the man behind the voice. A family lost their cornerstone. A movement lost its leader. And countless students like me lost a hero who reminded us that we are not too young, too small or too insignificant to make an impact.
Charlie often reminded us that courage ripples outward. If you are brave enough to stand for truth, your courage gives others permission to do the same. That is the legacy I will carry forward. His absence leaves a silence, but it also leaves a call—to speak up, to lead, to live in a way that empowers others and honors the courage Charlie showed us was possible.
Rest in peace, Charlie. Thank you for your conviction, your voice, your faith. Thank you for showing me—and so many others—that one life, lived with courage, can impact the world.
Sunday the 14th-Saturday the 20th:
Another popular late night TV show has been pulled off the air. Jimmy Kimmel live has been pulled off the air by ABC after Kimmel’s comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk during the show’s monologue. According to USA Today, Kimmel said, "the MAGA gang" was "desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it." Nexstar Media group, an affiliate of ABC, commented on the suspension, calling the comments “offensive and insensitive” and referencing the poor timing of when he made the remarks. ABC will replace the September 19th showing of Kimmel’s show with a Charlie Kirk remembrance special.
This is an interesting 1st amendment dilemma to discuss. The amendment states that Congress cannot repress freedom of expression from the press, which is almost exactly what this is. You can hate Jimmy Kimmel all you want for saying what he said (and I kind of do too), but at the end of the day, it is free speech and realistically can’t be repressed. This can be said for the numerous people that have been fired for negatively talking about Charlie Kirk’s death. They aren’t issuing direct threats at him or his family, so their comments should fall under freedom of speech. At the end of the day, even if you don’t agree with Kimmel, you should be worried that the suspension of his show is another saga in our country’s gradual decline in free speech.
Did Jimmy Kimmel get canceled? What Tennessee viewers should know
Sunday the 21st-Tuesday the 30th:
Another shooting targeted at conservative policies recently took place. Twenty nine year old Joshua Jahn opened fire at an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement facility in Texas, killing one detainee and injuring two others. FBI director Kash Patel said there was an ideological motive behind the attack, noting in a post on X that shell casings from the scene were engraved with “ANTI ICE.” Homeland Security director Kristi Noem attacked the shooting as an example of far left violence against ICE, while president Donald Trump compared the ICE shooting to the assassination of Charlie Kirk earlier in September.
There is no doubt that Trump’s use of ICE in his presidency has been an enormous source of controversy. That said, if people want to protest this, shooting at a facility is not the right way to go about it. That kind of protest is the opposite of free will in America that we have strived to protect. Disagree all you want with Donald Trump, the recent violence against his supporters has gone too far. Those wanting to protect free speech are the same people that have supported these inciters of mass violence in this country. Hopefully our country turns a new leaf after this month of horrific violence.
