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Photo Contribution: TV Insider

Love was in the air this summer as thousands of Americans tuned in nightly for new, drama-infused episodes of Love Island USA season seven. Episode one premiered June 3, 2025, production ran for 32 days before the finale, in the end producing 37 episodes.

The show consists of a group of contestants known as the “islanders” separated from the outside world and under constant video surveillance. To stay in the villa, islanders must “couple up” with another player although, many couples simply partner up in order to stay in the villa. In the finale, America votes on their favorite couple and they win a 100,000 dollar prize.

An important thing to note is that the end goal for nearly every contestant is to win the prize money. With that being said, we have to ask ourselves, would the islanders not just be motivated by money, and the attention that they will inevitably acquire from being on the show? 

Love Island USA has run for six years now, yet this previous season has set record high viewing numbers. It has been particularly popular in the Gen-Z demographic, But what kept us hooked? What made us spend hours on the couch with our friends every night invested in this particular reality show. Well, there seems to be three main hooks, viewer involvement, social media presence, and the overall drama that happened each episode.

Every few nights viewers waited patiently for voting to go live where they could make the decision of which couples would stay on the island and which would be either kicked out, or put on watch. Few television series integrate audience participation and viewers clearly loved that they could play a part in the sequence of the events, and impact the life of somebody well known. This was just one aspect that made viewing numbers so high this season.

Another important detail was its social media presence. It’s important to take note that not only was the show popular by itself but all contestants had a large social media platform before entering the villa which played a big part in the traction of the show. The social media backgrounds of the contestants proved useful to the viewing in many ways. 

Viewers were already pouring in after the islanders were revealed and people began to see known influencers, but there was a greater boom around the corner for viewing numbers. Only three days after the premier, it had come to light that one of the contestants publicly used a racial slur on her podcast back in 2021. Yulissa Escobar was then removed from the villa and soon after released an apology video. This event then caused views to spike.

Not long after her removal from the show a similar situation occurred with islander Cierra Ortega. After being in the villa nearly three weeks she was removed for the exposure of a racist comment she made after she had received a botox injection.

Similarly to Yulissa this only fueled the social media discussion that was already taking place about Love Island and all the pre-existing couple drama that was already occurring.

The removal of these two contestants from the villa definitely stirred conversations over all social media platforms, however even without these events there was already such strong discussion taking place about the series. Countless videos and comments sharing viewer input on whatever the new drama was for that episode.

Overall, Love Island was the series of the summer for countless different reasons, and many have no doubt that the producers will only go even further in the next season.

Everyone needs a change of location every once in a while, especially while studying or locking in to do some homework. Charlotte may not seem like somewhere to branch out and try new places, but you may just not know of where to look. Some may be right down the street, or in a cozy corner uptown. You never know until you try. If you need some help, or don’t know where to start, here are some ideas.

Close to school, a fan favorite: is Amelie’s French Bakery. First thing about Amelie’s that will stand out is the atmosphere. No other place can compare to the mix and match of chandeliers, couches, chairs, art, you name it. With so many different vibes, there is always something new to see! No matter where you decide to set up shop, and no matter what you might grab to eat, you must pair it with one of their delicious coffees or teas. Lattes to English breakfast teas here never disappoint and never will. Forgot your headphones? Not worry! Amelie’s background music is surprisingly very good- and not always in French. Although this is a great and close spot, it can be a little distracting especially when going for the first time. Once you get past seeing all the exciting things it has to offer, Amelie’s is a wonderful, cozy warm place to lock in for a couple of hours without needing to leave for food or beverages!

Traveling a little further from school is Summit Coffee on Providence Road. This one is closer to uptown. There is a second location in Piedmont Town Centre, however with only three booths and very quickly filling tables, making the drive is worth it. Summit Coffee has many booths, and tables with outlets everywhere! The coffee is amazing and so worth trying. Summit is a staple and the atmosphere is much calmer than Amelie’s, having more wood and blue tones, it is much easier to stay focused and have no distractions. One negative thing about Summit is the parking. Since it is such a great spot, the parking lot does get filled very quickly. If you don’t mind parking down the street- then this is the perfect place for you! 

Another much-used location is the two-story Starbucks on Sharon Road. This is a staple and you can never go wrong with the drinks. Starbucks is always busy, but has enough seating where finding a table shouldn’t be a problem! One negative thing about Starbucks is that since it is always busy, without headphones it can be hard to focus. People coming in and out constantly with a lot of chattering may be distracting for some, but if looking for a place to study with friends this is a perfect option! The seating here is not the most comfortable, but it does the job and they have many outlets for anything you may need to charge. 

If you are looking to check out a super cool spot, a little farther uptown than Summit you must try Coco and The Director. The atmosphere inside of this coffee shop is one of a kind. Seating is not a problem with an entire upstairs of tables and chairs. They have super cool stair seating with pillows if you are looking to switch it up from the regular table. The only negative to this new place is the location. It is farther from Myers Park and is just a block from the Belk Theater. Nevertheless, if you don’t mind uptown or a little drive, Coco and The Director is a must-try. If you need to get away for the day to focus on some homework or studying, this is the place for you!

Coffee shops can be intimidating to try, not knowing what to expect the first time going. Hopefully, this article helps broaden your horizons and lets you try new things! A new location can change your mindset and let you get so much done. Next time, use some of these awesome spots to grab a cup of joe and lock in.

In a recent conversation, a spokesperson for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Control (ACC) reported having “more open kennels right now than we have had in a long time.” As of February 3, 2025, there were a total of 197 dogs at the ACC’s Toomey Avenue location, and 208 dogs in foster care with community volunteers – and thirteen open kennels. Melissa Knicely, the Communications and Community Outreach Manager for the ACC, provided insight into how the recently completed renovations to the ACC’s shelter has helped facilitate that outcome.

Although many Charlotteans assumed the renovations at the ACC would result in additional kennels, the true focus of this round of renovations, completed in May 2024, was to find solutions for a multitude of smaller problems within the existing space. Before the renovations, all amenities in the facility were over 30 years old, and after the rush of incoming animals following the pandemic, many physical issues that had previously gone overlooked quickly rose to the top of their “laundry list” of concerns. This left them desperately in need for more treatment rooms, isolation rooms, new ventilation systems, new cages, and more. Prior to the renovations, Knicely remembers small dogs squeezing through gaps at the bottom of their kennel doors to escape. Additionally, the spread of disease was difficult to prevent due to the layout of the cat cages and kennel sections, which separate lost dogs, sick dogs, and dogs up for adoption. Knicely says that the “stray cat room used to be a room with about 80 cages, so if one got sick with something very contagious, they were all exposed.” Fortunately, most needs were met through the recent renovations. The ACC was able to remedy their previously inefficient layout, reconstruct their lobby, and put in new kennel doors, locks, floors, and ventilation systems, finally bringing the shelter up to modern standards.

While there are currently more dogs in foster care than in the shelter, this lucky turn of events is not guaranteed to last. Due to the unpredictability of the needs of animals in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community, one can never be sure how long the spots in the ACC’s kennels will stay open. The shelter’s capacity frequently fluctuates, meaning there’s no telling when it might be overflowing with animals again. Still, the ACC faces pressure from locals to ‘do better.’ Knicely elaborates on this, saying, “If one of our officers goes out tonight and somebody calls in like, ‘Hey, this person lives behind me and we’re concerned because they have a lot of animals and we don’t know if they’re in good conditions,’ and the officer goes out and determines that there’s cruelty going on, and we seize 20 animals…All of a sudden having space to having no space happens just like that. So, it’s very fluid. That’s why it’s hard for us. People are like, ‘you need to do more marketing, or you need to do this, or that’…but it can change on a dime in an instant for us.”

The ACC plans to meet this unpredictability by continuing to expand its facilities in a new location. “We are not making any changes to this facility, however a new adoption center is in the works. So we would have two shelters.” Knicely explained that the current shelter would remain a medical facility that holds lost animals, and the new shelter, which would be located near the intersection of Tyvola and South Tryon Street, would become a new adoption center. “If everything is approved and it moves forward, we would be able to open late in 2027,” she said.

As the ACC prepares for their new building, they are seeking support from the surrounding community. “We always are in need of volunteers, donations, fostering, adoption and overall help advocating for the shelter,” Knicely said. “Everyone working together is what makes Charlotte a better city for animals.” Students of the age of 16 and above can apply to volunteer at the Toomey Avenue location. For more information on how to help, students can visit the ACC’s website at www.charlottenc.gov, and can contact the ACC Call Center via phone at (704) 336-7600.

Our school would not be where it is today without its hard-working staff members who keep the wheels spinning. A great example of someone who devotes their hard work to keeping Myers Park a functioning community is Assistant Principal, Mr. Jeffus. Going into his ninth year as Assistant Principal, Mr. Jeffus not only takes on administrative duties but also supports students and staff beyond the classroom. He is seen cheering on the Myers Park teams on the field and the courts while helping keep the student section safe and enjoyable for everyone. 

If you’ve been lucky enough to have sat in a classroom with Mr. Jeffus as your teacher, you’d know his background goes beyond Assistant Principal. Mr. Jeffus was the Assistant Principal at East Gaston High School in Gaston County for two years. However, before that, he taught math for 7th and 8th graders at Randolph Middle School for five years. He made the switch to Assistant Principal when he realized his passion was to “improve the overall educational experience,” as he stated in an interview.

Mr. Jeffus is all around the school throughout the day. He takes on multiple tasks like assisting teachers and students, subbing in classrooms, attending meetings, doing classroom observations, and even keeping order during lunch and class transitions. When asked about the most challenging part of the job, Jeffus responded by saying, “For me personally it is administrative tasks like observations. I like more authentic interactions.” In fact, it is these honest interactions with students and teachers that fuel his passion for being Assistant Principal. He added his favorite part of the job is “seeing students and staff reach goals, in and out of the building,” whether it’s making a team, getting a B grade instead of a C, or great test scores.  “I enjoy being a part of life. I value the trust that comes with sharing the hard things–college, mistakes, grades. Watching change and adapting to an ever-changing environment,” he commented. 

As Jeffus is committed to students’ interests and goals beyond the classroom it is important for students to know who Mr. Jeffus is beyond the classroom. Outside of school, Mr. Jeffus stated he enjoys cooking and coaching, especially coaching his daughter’s soccer team. In fact, he has always been a fan of sports, having played tennis, soccer, and basketball, and even running cross-country at Southwestern Randolph High School. He added he still enjoys playing tennis, basketball, and his recent favorite: golf. Although admitting to not consuming much television or music, Mr. Jeffus will never skip out on watching classic movies like Sandlot, Mighty Ducks, Fast & Furious, Mission: Impossible, or Little Big League with his kids. Mr. Jeffus’ taste for classics carries on to music as he commented he enjoys listening to mostly country, 90s music, The Fray, and Coldplay.

Mr. Jeffus’ support and devotion towards Myers Park High School is a great example of what passion for what you do looks like. His work, along with the rest of the staff at school works hard to help keep the learning environment functional and safe is undeniably something to appreciate and express gratitude for. 

After being asked what advice he would give students, Jeffus ended by saying, “I tell 9th graders at the beginning of the year—it’s always better to communicate earlier than later. Admin, we’re here to support you. As soon as you notice an issue, let somebody know. Don’t be afraid to reach out. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know.”  

If driving past Myers Park High School in the middle of October around 5:30 PM, odds are you will be greeted with the sound of cracking bats and smacking gloves of the Myers Park Mustangs Baseball team practicing for hours and hours despite their season being months away. There is no off season for the Myers Park Baseball team; as soon as school starts up in August the team is in the gym and on the field practicing. Other than mandatory off days for exams, and a month-long dead period in November, the team practices at least four days a week. By the time the season comes around, no team is more conditioned for the gauntlet of the high school baseball season. No team has the same drive to win or bond between teammates; a bond as brothers. This is what separates Myers Park Baseball from the average high school team, and it is why they have a history of continued success. This year’s team is looking to continue their winning tradition, and bring Coach Erik Foor his first ever state championship ring.
Senior Davis Johnson has spent his share of late nights at Myers Park over the years, but says he wouldn’t change it. Johnson said, “practice is the hard part, hitting on the machine we crank it up pretty fast and then when we get to the game it all slows down. The games are just fun and calming, and we are relaxed because of how intense practices are.That’s the goal: just to make it to where the games feel a lot easier than practice.” The long nights paid off for Johnson last year when he established himself as one of the team’s key contributors and leaders. In 2024, Johnson hit an outstanding .310, did not commit a single error throughout the season, and was named to the SoMeck 4A all conference team. While he had a terrific season last year, he and his teammates are hungry for more. This is shown through how the team has committed themselves to the messages the coaching staff have been sending this fall. “I would say the one thing the coaches always tell us is just how we need to stress the little things and not compound mistakes… Another thing that’s stressed is just how important it is to stay ready. You never know who’s gonna heat up and just always be ready and not surprised when your name gets called from the bench,” Johnson said. This focus on detail, and always-ready attitude is what separates this team from other high school baseball programs.
Myers Park Baseball resembles the work ethic and character of a collegiate level program, and as a result they have experienced success. Last year, the Mustangs had 6 players named all conference and sent four athletes to compete at the division one level. As a team, they were able to win a thriller over South Meck to secure the Conference Championship. Johnson said, “I know we went down early, they were hitting the ball around and we just slowly kept crawling back and fighting back, and when we got that winning run across the plate it was a feeling like no other, just running into the outfield and dogpiling. It was just so good to see all the guys celebrate together, proving ourselves to everyone and seeing the hard work pay off.” This feeling is one that Johnson and his teammates are trying to recreate, and the formula in doing so? It’s pretty simple, just buy in and work hard, “I mean the work pays off for sure and as long as you just keep at it, we’re going to see success. And if everyone just holds to that plan of buying in, then the team’s success is going to be super clear and we’re going to be super successful as a team and hopefully win the state championship. That’s the goal.” By showing up and working hard day in and day out and believing in something greater than themselves, the Mustangs have created a culture of success, a culture that is set on ending the season with rings on their fingers. The Mustangs kick off their title chase on February 24th against crosstown rival East Mecklenburg, and from there they hope to pursue history.

Diving into action, Wes Carter, the third-generation president of Atlantic Packaging, one of the largest privately held packaging companies in America has started his mission of transforming the packaging industry one wave at a time. A native of Wrightsville Beach, NC, and an avid outdoorsman, Carter founded A New Earth Project after recognizing the packaging supply chain his company was a part of was suffocating our oceans with plastic pollution. Rather than ignoring the growing crisis, Carter used his resources to right the ship and create a new goal of advocating and offering more environmentally friendly products. “When you’re embedded in the supply chain that’s creating the problem you can choose to keep your head in the sand and ignore it, but I couldn’t do that because I love the outdoors,” Carter says, driven by his profound passion for nature. 

In recent years, consumer brands have become more open to adopting more sustainable packaging but there is still a long way to go. “Seven to eight percent of the packaging that ends up at your house ends up in the environment. But if that packaging is made of paper in about 8-10 weeks it’s gone. If it’s made of plastic, it’ll be gone in a thousand years,” Carter explains. The vision of A New Earth Project is to design and test efficient fiber-based packaging that rids the world’s oceans of this plastic pollution. From the paper shipping mailers to the innovative mushroom packaging, these products can be recycled in your curbside recycling bin or will break down naturally becoming harmless to ecosystems it may end up in. Carter predicts the shift to more sustainable packaging can be seamlessly integrated into our society because of how common paper products are in our world today.  Like the Amazon cardboard boxes on your doorstep, all of them can be recycled in America’s established paper recycling systems. The right idea is for us to change our perspective from what we used to see as a waste to a resource. 

Though the idea of a clean earth is enticing, new changes in packaging are not always eye-catching. “The realization that I had is that sustainability needed to be branded. I wanted sustainable packaging to be awesome.” Says Carter, who built collaborations with some of the most impressive pro-surfers, snowboarders, and outdoor enthusiasts such as Koa Smith, Kelly Slater, and Cody Townsend to accomplish his goal. The team gathered perspectives from across the globe, from the thrill-chasers who hurtle off the world’s tallest snowy peaks to the pro-surfers who spend their days in the ocean. Their global perspectives enrich the narrative and enlarge the audience with their thousands of followers. “Ultimately the hope was that the outdoor industry would lead the sustainable packaging transition and that through storytelling we would inspire other brands to all join.” Says Carter. And he was right, inspired by the mission of A New Earth Project, Carter’s packaging customers such as William Sonoma, Urban Outfitters, and Bass Pro Shops have agreed to transition to sustainable packaging. “In a couple of months, we moved William Sonoma out of all of their bubble wrap, inflatable air pillows, and all of their foam to all paper-based packaging and eliminated 400,000 pounds of single-use plastics annually.” 

As the next generation of our world, we face the consequences of the dire impact of plastic pollution that’s altering our future. I saw this firsthand on a scuba diving trip in Bali last summer as I collected trash off coral reefs and observed piles of litter swamping the beaches. The future of our planet rests on the choices of today’s youth as we determine whether or not the solutions created by companies such as A New Earth Project will prevail. When asked for advice for our generation Carter answered; “We need young people like you guys out there to be conscious of who you shop with and rewarding companies that are making these sustainable shifts because ultimately consumer demand is what drives these companies more than anything else.” By choosing to support forward-thinking companies, our dollars can foster a market for not only sustainable packaging but also sustainable products that contribute to a legacy of environmental stewardship.