RFK Jr.’s new food pyramid has experts conflicted
One of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s (RFK) most recent controversial public statements regarding public health is the new emphasis on meat and dairy on the food pyramid. While many experts agree with the decision to encourage people to consume fewer processed foods and added sugars, the emphasis on sources of saturated fats is raising alarm.
While RFK intended for this new pyramid to showcase the importance of avoiding “highly processed foods,” many nutrition experts are concerned that foods that are known to be significant sources of saturated fat are featured on the very top.
CODE RED: Washington and Oregon are in critical need of blood donations
The PNW is in a code red and Western Washington and Oregon are in dire need of blood donations. Unfortunately, people aren’t donating as much as they used to and it has caused severe shortages, specifically with universal blood Type O being the most requested. In an effort to curb the shortage, Highline will be hosting a blood drive on campus.
In a press release by Bloodworks it states that blood Type O is “especially for trauma and emergency situations when the patient’s blood type is unknown.” It’s crucial for people to continue to donate, especially those with Type O blood.
Active shooter preparedness at Highline College: What the policies reveal
Annually, Highline participates in an active shooter response drill, with this year’s exercise taking place on Jan. 21. With students and faculty receiving text and email alerts, this drill is a symbol of the school’s preparedness.
Alongside this drill, Public Safety hosted an FBI-led forum on what to do in the event of an active shooter on campus. This was no doubt beneficial to the 31 staff and faculty members present on zoom or in person. Information reviewed was summarized in the bureau’s video “Run. Hide. Fight.”
Seahawks punch their ticket to NFC Championship with dominating win over 49ers
The Seattle Seahawks didn’t leave room for debate in their latest matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. From the opening kick to the final whistle, Seattle controlled the game, using explosive special teams play and a suffocating defensive performance to secure a decisive 41-6 win that felt as symbolic as it was significant.
Seattle set the tone immediately. A jolt from special teams ignited the stadium as electric returner Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Shaheed handed the Seahawks instant momentum and energy before the 49ers could establish any rhythm.
Campus
Annually, Highline participates in an active shooter response drill, with this year’s exercise taking place on Jan. 21. With students and faculty receiving text and email alerts, this drill is a symbol of the school’s preparedness.
Alongside this drill, Public Safety hosted an FBI-led forum on what to do in the event of an active shooter on campus. This was no doubt beneficial to the 31 staff and faculty members present on zoom or in person. Information reviewed was summarized in the bureau’s video “Run. Hide. Fight.”
The Academic Success Center (ASC) held its Winter Open House, where it welcomed students and community members to learn about academic resources available and highlighted different programs aimed to support the student body.
The event was held on Wednesday Jan. 21 in the library (Building 25), on the sixth floor. It featured subjects including math, engineering, science, and achievement programs. The open house ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Highline College Board of Trustees (BOT) held a private vote on whether to address the status of Dr. John Mosby’s leadership of the college, or to continue waiting for word. The BOT privately casted their vote, and settled on asking Dr. John Mosby to resign as president.
It’s unclear how this played out. Did Dr. Mosby acknowledge the distress on campus, or did he fight back, believing waiting on him was what was best for Highline?
Community
The PNW is in a code red and Western Washington and Oregon are in dire need of blood donations. Unfortunately, people aren’t donating as much as they used to and it has caused severe shortages, specifically with universal blood Type O being the most requested. In an effort to curb the shortage, Highline will be hosting a blood drive on campus.
In a press release by Bloodworks it states that blood Type O is “especially for trauma and emergency situations when the patient’s blood type is unknown.” It’s crucial for people to continue to donate, especially those with Type O blood.
Pokémon card collecting has continued to rise in popularity, but as the demand increases for these collectable cards, so too has increased a problematic element to this childhood past time: Pokémon scalpers. Scalpers have taken over the marketplace making collecting these cards increasingly hard and expensive.
Have you ever wanted to get into collecting Pokémon cards or you are already in the hobby? Well then, you have definitely gone to the store and seen all the shelves empty. Ok then – the store is out of stock, nothing out of the norm. You check a nearby Pokémon vending machine: same result. This is because of Pokémon card scalpers.
It’s the dead of morning, the sun is hidden by fog and clouds, school and work is slow, and your sleep is not the best. You try to finish up some homework, but you can’t get up to do the assignment, you would rather be in your bed because you feel so bad and sluggish.
That seasonal dread and procrastination could be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Which is known to many as seasonal depression, it is a type of depression that is tied to changes in season, mainly in winter/fall. This disorder comes from many different causes and can make it difficult for people to function properly during a season.
The tragic death of a Minneapolis woman during a federal immigration enforcement operation has ignited protests across the country and raised urgent questions about the use of force by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating in local communities.
On Jan. 7, 2026, an ICE officer by the name of Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, in south Minneapolis during a large federal enforcement operation.
Bringing innovation to the forefront of housing construction, BOXABL is a company rethinking how homes are designed, built, and delivered. For millions of Americans, the cost of housing has moved beyond a financial challenge and into a crisis.
According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies, the State of the Nations Housing 2024 report shows that homeowners across the United States are experiencing significant strain due to high housing costs. As housing costs continue to rise and construction timelines grow longer, the need for ways to make the construction process faster, less expensive, and more efficient has become increasingly urgent.
Sports
The Seattle Seahawks didn’t leave room for debate in their latest matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. From the opening kick to the final whistle, Seattle controlled the game, using explosive special teams play and a suffocating defensive performance to secure a decisive 41-6 win that felt as symbolic as it was significant.
Seattle set the tone immediately. A jolt from special teams ignited the stadium as electric returner Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Shaheed handed the Seahawks instant momentum and energy before the 49ers could establish any rhythm.
The Spanish Super Cup final’s two opponents have been set through a couple of hard-fought matches, with Barcelona and Real Madrid coming out on top and ready to take on each other in the final matchup. Barcelona was the first to stamp their ticket to the final by taking care of Athletic Club in a decisive 5-0 victory. Then Real Madrid pushed past Atletico Madrid 2-1 to earn their chance to fight for the cup.
Both victories have earned each respective team a chance to win it all and sets up a dynamic final, sure to thrill fans as each team fights for the cup. Although the upcoming final match may be the most important one, each team has already battled to earn their spot in the final.
Last Saturday was absolutely wild for Highline Thunderbirds basketball. Both the men’s and women’s teams came out swinging with fire – each of the games against Pierce College. And by the end of it all, Highline walked away with two unforgettable wins that had fans on the edge of their seats.
Right from the tip-off, the energy was electric. On the men’s side, the Thunderbirds and the Pierce Raiders were neck and neck the whole game, trading buckets, hustling on defense, and refusing to give in.
After a long, unpredictable regular season, only 14 NFL teams remain at the beginning of postseaon play, each just a few games away from reaching Super Bowl LX, where only one team will leave as the Super Bowl LX champion with the Lombardi Trophy.
The NFL’s playoffs brings together seven teams from each conference, one being the American Football Conference (AFC) and the other National Football Conference (NFC) – creating a mix of division winners and wild-card teams.
Arts
Ariana Grande’s “Eternal Sunshine” is not just another pop album – it is a carefully crafted emotional diary that captures heartbreak, healing, and self-reflection with striking honesty. On her seventh studio release, Grande steps away from glossy chart-chasing and leans into vulnerability, delivering a project that feels intimate, mature, and deeply personal.
Grande’s seventh studio album, “Eternal Sunshine”, arrived in March 2024 and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. She later released a deluxe version of the album, and will be going on a tour later this year in support of the project.
The Grammy Awards – the self proclaimed “biggest night in music” – has happened every year around early February since 1959. A prestigious and mysterious group of voters made up of industry insiders (singers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and more) decide who will take home the gramophone-shaped trophies. This year, the ceremony will take place on Feb. 1 at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles. Should we still care enough to tune in?
The Grammys are far from the only major award show. The other three that are considered major U.S. award shows are the Emmys (television), the Oscars (film), and the Tonys (theater). The four of them together make up the EGOTs. The Grammys are actually the newest of the four with the Oscars coming up on their 100-year anniversary in 2029.
Science & Technology
One of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s (RFK) most recent controversial public statements regarding public health is the new emphasis on meat and dairy on the food pyramid. While many experts agree with the decision to encourage people to consume fewer processed foods and added sugars, the emphasis on sources of saturated fats is raising alarm.
While RFK intended for this new pyramid to showcase the importance of avoiding “highly processed foods,” many nutrition experts are concerned that foods that are known to be significant sources of saturated fat are featured on the very top.
In connection with the city of Des Moines, Highline’s Marine Science and Technology Center (MaST) has successfully begun preservation work to save marine wildlife living on the Des Moines Marina. By utilizing 30 individual divers, as well as a swarm of community volunteers, thousands of aquatic lives have been saved.
Spanning from August to December 2025, the MaST mission for these events was to do as much preservation and conservation work as possible. During their efforts, crews focused on piers L, M, & N at the marina.
News Briefs
Alarming new info has people thinking about the future of the United States and wondering if history is slowly repeating itself under this new administration. Vice President JD Vance states that ICE agents should have absolute immunity, and should be going door-to-door in search of victims.
Opinion
President Donald Trump has a history of lashing out at the press, particularly when approached about his long-time friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, and a camera to catch it all doesn’t stop his temper. While he may be the laughing stock of America, will his temper make him crack, or will he lash out in more violent ways?
It’s not common that I have met someone who has heard of Sophie Scholl and her part in the White Rose resistance group. Until recently, I knew close to nothing about how the White Rose group resisted, but upon learning about Scholl and her peers, it seems there is a lot to be learned that can be applied to our modern-day heightened political environment.
Scholl and her peers should be included in every history curriculum.
ThunderPod
Start the quarter strong with a new episode of the ThunderPod. This week’s episode brings an exciting continuation of the interview with Highline’s Communication Studies faculty member Rachel Stuart.
After an exciting cliffhanger from the last episode of 2025, viewers will have the chance to push their universities and institutions with the knowledge discussed. You won’t want to miss this week’s episode!