Notre Dame students are smart—no doubt about that—but there’s a difference between being intelligent and being informed. You may excel in the classroom, but education needs worldly context beyond your ND bubble. This weekly column exists to keep you up to date with the latest happenings around the nation in 500 words or less. We do the research, you do the reading. HCNDXO
Welcome back to South Bend! It’s been three weeks since being at our home under the dome, and a lot has happened in the world beyond Notre Dame. Here’s what you might have missed over winter break.
Flint Water Crisis
In April 2014, the city of Flint, Michigan began getting their tap water from the Flint River instead of Lake Huron. The decision was made as a cost-saving measure under the leadership of a city manager appointed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. Since the switch, residents of Flint have been exposed to high levels of lead in their water. Residents complained about the appearance and taste of the water and later tests revealed the river water was not properly treated and was causing lead to leach from the old pipes.
Some children exposed to the water have elevated levels of lead in their blood, which can cause permanent brain damage.
President Obama declared a state of emergency and the National Guard are in Flint to hand out bottled water, testing kits and filters. Experts reported that proper water treatment would have prevented the majority of problems with Flint’s water.
The city switched back to Lake Huron water in October.
Militia in Oregon
Militiamen in eastern Oregon have been occupying a wildlife refuge for more than two weeks as part of a protest against the federal government. The militiamen have been trying the patience of the local sheriff’s department, as well as the FBI, by commandeering and destroying public property with increasingly inflammatory anti-government rhetoric. Damage includes paving a road through part of the sanctuary, allowing cattle to graze freely and destroying cameras at the refuge they believed the FBI was using for surveillance.
The militiamen are largely comprised of out-of-state ranchers. Local Native Americans are concerned about potential damage to their burial sites and potential artifacts.
Clinton’s Lead Over Sanders Slips
While a month ago Hillary Clinton held her lead over Bernie Sanders by 20 percentage points nationally, she now leads by just 7. Certain polls show Sanders climbing in Iowa, whose caucuses are the first major electoral event of the nomination process.
Sanders is especially popular with primary voters under 45 – they favor him (rough) by a 2-to-1 ratio over Clinton. Despite this surge in popularity, though, more than 70% of Democratic voters believe Clinton will ultimately be the party’s nomination – and yes, that includes Sanders’s supporters as well.
Donald Trump is still leading in the Republican primary.
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