May 9, 2014 Volume 50 Issue 8 XchangePius X High School 6000 A Street, Lincoln, NE Wordstruck Live - 8 Students performed and read their works, and 'best ofs' were announced. Senior Xposed - 4 Kenny Nyguen is a really chill senior who likes to dance and travel. Throwback Issue - 6 The X-Change is celebrating its 50th year. PHOTOS BY ANNIE ALBIN 2 News May 9, 2014 Primary election day draws near Pinnacle Bank Arena tion on healthcare policy and previous comments NICK ESPARZA ends season in the red Sports Editor on the issue, and he has also raised questions about Sasse’s ties to the state. This year’s basketball Major stakes are involved in Nebraska’s On the other hand however, the gubernato- HAYLEE DILTZ season really took a toll on Republican primary, with national tea party groups rial race has been heating up as well. Staff Writer the arena as well. State bas- and figures backing Republican Ben Sasse as their With 6 people running for governor, the ketball back in February put a best hope for a Senate victory this election season. competition has stiffened up to take control of the The new Pinnacle halt on concerts and big events, Urgent: Should Obamacare Be Repealed? popular vote. Bank Arena is in the red causing the arena to lose a lot Vote Here Now! Specifically, two canidates have been spar- due to its income loss. more money than expected. With most of the senior class being of age to ring for the lead. The Pinnacle Bank The city of Lincoln is vote, the up and coming primary election is just the Omaha businessman Pete Ricketts and Arena is an indoor arena in said not to have been responsible start of their influence in politics. Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning have the West Haymarket district of for paying back the bonds used to With May 13th quickly approaching for the accused each other of running negative, inaccurate Lincoln with a seating capacity build the arena. That’s the job of date of the Senate primary elections, many candi- television ads in the final week of the Republican of 15,147. the West Haymarket Joint Public dates are pulling out all the stops to get the vote. primary race for Nebraska governor. In the beginning Agency, who approves build- 2 million dollars have already been spent on Ricketts has promised to run a positive of January the arena had ings or restaurants built near ads, just for the Senate seat. campaign and denied that he was involved in a recent announced it was $171,598 in and in the Lincoln Haymarket. According to a new survey of the race, Ben negative ad blitz against Bruning, both canidates are debt due to operating expenses. The arena still has Sasse and Shane Osborn are in a statistical tie in the frontrunners in the race. The nearly $171,598 seven months left before the Nebraska Senate Republican primary. Bruning alleges that Ricketts’ family and loss represents a little more than debt will become a bigger con- “I’m looking forward to finally being able supporters are behind a series of anonymous, third- 1 percent of the city’s $15 mil- cern, but Steve Hubka, the to vote,” senior Connor Mehl said. “All my life I’ve party attack ads against him and that Ricketts is lion annual budget for arena city’s finance director said, been waiting for this moment and I feel that I can unwilling to attach his name to them. The third-party operations. “While the debt is concerning, make more of an impact on the world now that I’m ads have drawn the ire of some top Republicans, “I personally don’t think it’s not alarming. He said the able to vote.” including Gov. Dave Heineman, who said last week it’s that big of a deal,” junior city has been addressing ways Sasse has received the backing of nearly that the people responsible should identify them- Jacob Kreickmeier said. “Most to cut costs and increase rev- every national conservative figure and group that has selves. likely it will bounce back.” enue since the very beginning.” weighed in on the race. Whether someone is young or old, their The arena has said to If the arena opera- Osborn, however, has charged that Sasse duty is to vote and each and every person’s right have incurred higher utility costs tions don’t break even this won’t be sufficiently opposed to ObamaCare if should be exercised next Tuesday May 13th for the since it first opened on Aug. year, revenue from all sourc- elected because of his work in the Bush administra- Nebraska primaries. 29, 2013, including electricity, es is enough to cover opera- which is one of the main rea- tions without jeopardizing pay- sons the arena has lost so much ments for the $378 million in money. bonds used to build the arena. NYCU: Hobby Lobby fights the “This kind of thing Everyone is definitely usually happens in the begin- hopeful that by the end of this ning of a lot of new businesses. year the arena will not be in a Supreme Court for religious freedom Especially since the arena is negative income anymore. new to the Haymarket and there NNA NDRACEK Health and Human Services in The federal government A O are all kinds of new restau- Entertainment Editor December 2103. has issued reports that state rants and businesses opening.” They claimed their corporations cannot have moral Kreickmeier said. The Supreme Court case exemption from this mandate as standings, which is what makes Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores a religious institution, but were these cases so difficult. The is a historic battle of federal denied because, in the mandate, battle is in the interpretation of power. to qualify, a business must the Constitution. The Founding The owners of the serve only members of their Fathers could not anticipate this Hobby Lobby Corporation are denomination. Being a provider kind of situation, so there is not refusing to force their employees of elder care for impoverished a direct solution that lies in the to purchase the health care plan members of their society in document. under the Affordable Care Act, Denver, the sisters did not fit “It’s hard to tell the better known as Obamacare. this bill. They are waiting for a outcome of these cases,” Darner The portion of this ruling on this in June. said. “It seems like the Supreme enormous Court is plan, split, and the HHS News you CaN use it’s so mandate, covers contraception and Several other controversial.” abortion-causing drugs. The institutions have sued, including Whichever way the owners say this is in direct the University of Notre Dame decision falls, it will have major violation of their religious and numerous Catholic hospitals. implications for future court beliefs and will not offer the “The First Amendment cases regarding healthcare. care plan. right of religious freedom is This is not the first case being denied, including the most to be brought to the Supreme important aspect- the right to Court regarding Obamacare. freely practice one’s religion, The Little Sisters of the Poor which is at stake in this case,” first sued the Department of Sister Jacqueline Darner said. May 9, 2014 Opinion 3 Editorial: Senior breakfast rescheduling creates chaos If runners in the Lincoln high school and the start of the rest following day will be jam-packed planning and forethought. been accused of high prices and marathon were given their medals of their lives are celebrated. Seems with four finals in the afternoon The reported reason for low-quality food by Pius staff and and final time with two miles to a little like putting the cart before and the last four finals on the this colossal mistake was simply past senior parents. Few would go in the race, how many would the horse doesn’t it? morning of the 14th. that the Embassy had already have minded the chance for higher- finish those last two miles strong? It may seem miniscule, But wait, there’s more! booked the date our school had quality food at a better price. In More than likely, they would walk but for seniors already hit heavily For the same price, a few of the planned on taking for the breakfast. fact, it may have been welcomed. those last two miles or omit them with plaguing bouts of the infamous Advanced Placement exams had Whoever was in charge of reserving Ultimately, this mistake altogether. senoritis, this road block seems like to be rescheduled as well. For AP the location should have called the jeopardizes students’ GPA, For seniors the race an enormous bump on the road Biology students, the exam is now hotel months in advance for such a scholarships and more. In the to the end of high school is so to graduation and, perhaps more almost a week after seniors get out monumental occasion. future Pius should strive to reserve close to complete. All classes are importantly, summer. of school. Another quick fix would the hotel sooner and prevent this completed, service hours turned May 12th’s morning will If there were Olympics have simply been to book another massive scheduling conundrum. in, grad parties scheduled and be devoted to commemorating for biggest motivation-killer of all hotel. The Embassy isn’t the only Seniors’ high school careers are so summer planned. The last big accomplishments, scholarships and time, this scheduling error would breakfast-offering location in close to over and it would be nice hurdle is that of their last high the completion of high school for take the gold.