Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
The Colorado State Capitol Building Has Brief Lockdown After Nearby Shooting
Colorado’s state capitol issued a brief building lockdown Thursday afternoon when shots were fired nearby, the Huffington Post reports. A shooting occurred at a park, where witnesses told a local Denver news station that a person fired at a car with a gun. The person in the car began firing back. When police presence increased in the area, the Capitol began its lockdown. The first shooter reportedly escaped by boarding a passing bus, which police later stopped. While the Capitol lockdown was lifted after 2 p.m., it’s still unclear if anyone was taken into custody.Â
The Colorado state Capitol in Denver was on lockdown Thursday as police responded to reports of shots fired, CBS Denver reported. The lockdown was later lifted, according to the Colorado State Patrol’s Public Affairs Unit.https://t.co/W0uiUNr0uf pic.twitter.com/uVZMrA6a3q
— News 4, WIVB-TV (@news4buffalo) January 4, 2018
Former Publisher of Alabama Newspaper Resigns After Admitting He Once Spanked a Reporter
The New York Times reports that the former publisher of Alabama’s The Anniston Star has resigned as chairman of the company that owns the paper after he revealed that he spanked a reporter in the 1970s. H. Brandt Ayers told the Star it was “in the best interests of the paper and its mission” to step away from the Consolidated Publishing company. The decision comes after several former reporters came forward with their accounts of experiencing Ayers’ sexual misconduct in the workplace.Â
“It is of utmost importance to me that this newspaper continue to serve its role of reporting on matters of concern to the Anniston community and that nothing stand in the way of preserving the newspaper as an independently owned publication serving this community,” Ayers said in a statement.
Former reporter Veronica Pike Kennedy published an article earlier this week saying that Ayers spanked her without her consent in the nearly empty workplace in 1975. She was in her 20s at the time, while Ayers was 40. Ayers later admitted in an interview that he spanked another female reporter before his encounter with Pike Kennedy. He served as publisher of the Star from the 1960s to 2016, and his family will remain in charge of the publishing company.
“As a very young man with more authority than judgment, I did some things I regret,” says ex-Anniston Star publisher H. Brandt Ayers. New female hires were warned about his forced spankings. https://t.co/UhQYNrJDDU
— Romenesko (@romenesko) January 2, 2018
Dunkin Donuts Releases a New Seasonal Donut Perfect for Your Snow Day Vibes
If you’ve managed to make it out of your house despite Winter Storm Grayson hitting the Northeast hard, you may find the perfect treat at your local Dunkin Donuts. At a Rhode Island branch of the coffee chain, a customer found 2018’s first seasonal donut called “Snow Flurries.” Appearing alongside an “Elsa Donut” that may be exclusive to the Rhode Island store, the Snow Flurries and its snowflake sprinkles and blue frosting will hit all participating locations for a limited time. Sign me up!
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What to look out for…
If you found yourself with yet another snow day today (or just need a reason to celebrate that it’s Friday!), you’re in luck. Today is National Whipped Cream Day, so grab that Reddi-wip and the dessert of your choice. Enjoy!