News Briefs 03/07/16

International/National: Kasich: Ohio or Bust 207

Ohio Governor and Republican presidential candidate John Kasich said in a interview with CNN if he doesn’t win the Republican caucus in Ohio on March 15, it is time to end his campaign.

Kasich has yet to win a state, but placed second in New Hampshire. He is confident that he will finally pull out a win in the upcoming Ohio caucuses even after Trump took seven of the 12 Super Tuesday states on March 1. He believes a win in his home state will give his campaign some momentum.

“To have a shot at becoming the nominee you have to win your home state,” member of Young Republican Club, Baker Stradinger said. “And of course he will support his party’s nominee.”

Over the past several weeks, Kasich has been under pressure to drop out of the race by major GOP donors. They are looking to clear the field for Marco Rubio after some early wins for Donald Trump.

Kasich says that if he does drop out, he will throw his support to whoever the Republican candidate is.

“If I don’t win Ohio, then it’s time to call it over,” Kasich said. “But I am going to win that state, and then, we’re off to the races.”

Local: DUI Test Ruled Unconstitutional 213

In a 6-1 ruling on Feb. 26, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that a driver can no longer be prosecuted for refusing a breathalyzer test.

The court found that the law was unconstitutional and was punishing people for exercising their constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. Refusing the sobriety test was previously a misdemeanor and the offender could face a fine of no less than $1,000 and possible jail time.

This controversial ruling opens the possibility for drunk drivers to possibly hurt someone if they remain on the road after being pulled over.

“I think that cops pull people over for a reason,” senior Anna Witwer said. “It makes the roads unsafe if people refuse the test and are drunk and get back on the road.”

Previously, any Kansan who operated a motor vehicle had implied consent to submit to the test if pulled over.

“I think that all the courts in the whole state should work together to be uniform and decide what they are going to do on that,” Terri West of Twin Cities Drivers Education said. “If someone refuses and they are showing other signs they are under the influence there should be a way to get the test to prove that they are drunk.”

School: Stuco Elections Cancelled 191

Student Council elections have been cancelled this year due to lack of opposition.

Planning for her campaign since her freshman year, 2016-2017 Student Body President Mazie Brooke expected to have to campaign. One other candidate had signed up to run, but has since dropped out of the race, leaving positions completely unopposed.

Junior Peter Haynes will take on the task of Vice President and junior Morgan Biles as secretary. BIles will also be taking on the duties of treasurer because no one signed up to run.

“I just really want the spirit to get back up because when I was a freshman, the seniors did a great job of making everyone want to go to everything, but this year was kind of lame,” Brooke said.

Student council sponsor Hannah Pence has been in charge of Student Council for the past 19 years and has seen the numbers go down from three to four kids in every position, to becoming completely unopposed over the past several years.

“I was surprised when only three people ended up signing up,” Pence said. “We had about seven or eight eligible to run. It was disappointing.”