If you’ve ever used Character.AI to talk to fictional characters, pass time, or even have an online husband or wife, you might have seen the news about the popular platform filing for bankruptcy. The news has left many users wondering what will happen to their chats moving forward and whether the app will disappear completely. On October 12, it had been announced that the owners had started a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. In summary, this allows a company to go through a c

It is currently fall, so why is it so hot? This constant question has become a problem. In 2026, the world has been hit by a phenomenon meteorologists like to call, “El Niño.” El Niño is a natural climate pattern that occurs when sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become warmer than average. These warmer waters influence atmosphere circulation around the globe, altering rainfall, storm tracks, and temperatures beyond the Pacific basin.

Mayfair High School’s Fall Choir Concert showcased the amazing talent of the student singers through the variety of songs they performed. They all sounded heavenly and it was amazing to hear. The concert featured Polyphonix, Mariners, and Showtime, giving each group an opportunity to showcase their amazing voices and talent through lovely songs. After Mrs. Campbell introduced the first group, Polyphonix, they took the stage to open the show. Some of the songs they performed

Being a student at Mayfair High School can come with a lot of overwhelming questions and decisions that are really unexpected. Having a supportive counselor like Mrs. Macintosh can make such a difference in your life, just as she has made in mine. Mrs. Macintosh is one of the kindest counselors at this school. She is always willing to help students with all their issues and tries her hardest to care for each student she has. She has the ability to make shy kids feel comfortab

The VMA’s, (Video music awards), is an annual award show to honor the best music videos in the industry. The VMA’s took place Sunday, September 27, 2026, and the people were moved. Fans are shocked watching British singer-song-writer and record producer, PinkPantheress' reaction to “Pop Queen” winning “Artist of the Year.” Fans online speculated that the two may resent each other, while others laughed it off and clipped PinkPantheres, using her as a meme reaction photo. Both

The 2026 WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) playoffs got underway on Tuesday and just completed the best-of-three first-round series. The postseason features the league’s top eight teams competing for the championship. Teams are ranked by their regular-season records, with the No. 1 as the top seed and the No. 8 as the lowest seed. The playoffs are moving into the semifinals following an eventful first round highlighted by a historic upset, two series “sweeps” (w

Chipotle Mexican Grill is a fast-food chain known for its burritos, bowls, and tacos. Recently, however, a company advertisement has drawn significant attention. The fast-food chain released a Halloween ad featuring a Ouija board-style design with a tortilla chip being used as a pointer to spell out “margarita.” While some people found the ad funny and creative, others have criticized it. According to a Chipotle company announcement, the campaign is called “Summon the Spiri

Ayanna Greenidge is a Mayfair High School senior balancing academics, varsity volleyball, and personal goals, staying motivated through every challenge. Her favorite subject is chemistry, which she plans to major in at Howard University, one of the U.S.’s top-ranked historically Black colleges and universities. One of Ayanna’s main goals this academic year is to earn a 4.0 GPA. She is determined to stay focused on her academics while continuing to grow as a student-athlete.

On Oct. 1, 2026, 34-year-old Ken Urker was found dead inside a Louisiana house. He was the former fiancé of Gypsy Rose Blanchard; the couple shared a daughter, who was born in December 2024. According to People.com, “a source close to the family confirmed to PEOPLE. He was found ‘dead upon arrival,’ per the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office.” Urker was discovered by Blanchard’s brother, Dylan. An autopsy has since been conducted, but the official results are currently being

After 16 years in the 200 wing, well-known English teacher Mrs. Berryman has announced she will relocate to the 400 wing to join AVID, a new elective program. I interviewed her to discuss the transition and her thoughts on the program. Q: What is AVID, and is it the reason for your relocation? A: Yes, AVID is the reason, and it is an acronym for Advancement Via Individual Determination. It is an elective for those who want to be college-bound. I was asked if I wanted to be

Boo! The Writing Center is hosting the 2nd Annual Spooky Story contest! This is a challenge where Mayfair students from middle and high school are able to show off their creative writing skills through a spooky story! Students have until October 23rd to submit their work. For those interested in signing up, each participant must follow the rules: Participants must attend Mayfair Middle/High School, write 500 to 1200 words, organize their work in MLA format, avoid using AI,

Artificial intelligence has taken over the world. There may be no getting rid of it; society must learn to live with it regardless of personal beliefs. For educators and students, however, this trend raises a critical question: When does AI stop being a tool and become a crutch? Multiple studies suggest that regularly using AI can diminish critical thinking skills. AI was created to help humans, though its rollout brought mixed results. Many people mocked early AI tools, fi

Ever wonder why you might have a ton of swollen bumps recently? Here could be a reason as to why. In Southern California, the warm weather gives mosquitoes plenty of time to stay active. This year, Los Angeles County has had a much bigger West Nile virus season than usual. There has been a report of 1,172 confirmed West Nile disease cases in 2026, including 130 hospitalizations and a few deaths. The number is much higher than the 22 infections reported in the entirety of 2025

I took the chance to shine a light on Mrs. Aguirre because she is extremely kind-hearted and helped me grow as a person. Not only is she caring, she is also an excellent teacher. I wanted to take the opportunity to learn more about her experiences working here at Mayfair and about her life outside of work. Q: What made you want to become a teacher? A: “My love for history. I feel like the teachers I had were not good, and I want to do something better to inspire my students

Hurricane Lowell is a category 2 hurricane that is currently impacting the western islands of Hawaii, which has brought upon the state's first ever tornado watch. It occurred on September 7th and 8th of 2026 and the island is still dealing with the destruction of it. Hurricane Lowell has caused 21 inches of rainfall that led to flash floods across Hawaii’s islands Niihau and Kahui. The local government has sent crews to the whole island to assess the situation. During the ass

Fat Bear Week is an annual competition between the brown bears at the Katmai National Park & Reserve in Alaska. The Fat Bear Week competition has been happening anually since 2014. The competition was made to celebrate the bear’s success in preparation for their winter hibernation. It is a single elimination tournament, and for each match-up, you can use their website to pick the bear that you think is the best example of fatness and success in brown bears. You can also predi

The Major League Baseball postseason began with twelve teams competing for a title, including the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Guardians, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, and Atlanta Braves. The bracket has narrowed down to the final five teams competing, with the Dodgers and the Brewers playing for the National League Pennant. In the American Leag

Video games are a common way for students to spend their free time. Whether playing with friends, trying to win a match, or looking to just relax, most students have a favorite. To find out which games students at Mayfair High have been playing the most this September, I made an Instagram poll asking students to share what video game they had been playing this month. The poll received 23 responses and included a plethora of choices. The most popular game by a landslide was R

On April 26, 2019, one of the most groundbreaking movies of the decade, “Avengers: Endgame,” was released as the sequel to “Avengers: Infinity War.” “Endgame” concluded Phase Three of the Infinity saga, a collection of movies and series published by Marvel over several years. The movie featured an emotional story for fans who follow the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to The Numbers, “Avengers: Endgame” grossed $2,937,673,434 at the worldwide box office. Nearly seven

On September 20, 2026, President Donald Trump made a post on his Truth social media platform that involved his plans to add a Triumphal Arch to the Washington D.C area. The proposed arch will be located on the Potomac and will be approximately 250-feet tall. President Donald Trump has said that he wants to build this triumphal arch specifically to store a large number of drones, snipers, a large quantity of sniper ammunition. Many veterans and historians don’t approve of this