Former NFL star commits suicide in prison
Former NFL superstar tight end Aaron Hernandez, who was acquitted of murder and sentenced to life in jail was found dead in his prison cell on Apr. 19. Hernandez death was ruled a suicide after he was found hanging from his bed sheet that he attached to a window. His body was found at 3:05 a.m.. “Lifesaving techniques were attempted on Mr. Hernandez, and he was transported to UMass Leominster, where he was pronounced dead at 4:07 am,” according to the correction department’s statement. Hernandez attempted to block his door from the inside by using various items in his cell. He was recently found not guilty of a double murder and was seeking an appeal of the murder case that sentenced him to life in prison. Hernandez’s death came the same day that the Patriots were set to visit the White House.

Cleveland killer kills himself after police chase
Steve Stephens, the “Cleveland killer” committed suicide in Pennsylvania after he was involved in a police chase, according to cnn.com. Stephens would go on Facebook Live and record the murders he was committing. Stephens was spotted by a McDonald’s employee while he was going through the drive thru. “As the vehicle was spinning out of control from the PIT maneuver, Stephens pulled a pistol and shot himself in the head,” police said. Reports state that Stephen’s phone pinged in Erie, PA, which helped police narrow their search. “All I can say is that I wish he had gone down in a hail of 100 bullets,” Brenda Haymon the daughter of one of the victims said. The McDonald’s employees managed to stall Stephens at the drive thru by delaying the delivery of his fries while they called the cops.

MCPS passes new rule on vending machines
The Montgomery County Council voted unanimously on Apr. 18, on a measure that would require all vending machines on Montgomery County property must offer healthy snacks and beverages but can still contain the usual options, according to wtop.com. In vending machines, at least 50 percent of the items will have to meet American Heart Association nutrition standards for fat, salt and sugar over the next two years, according to wtop.com. After those two years, 65 percent of items will have to meet the standard and every vending machine that offers beverages will have to have bottled water. “Studies have shown that children who drink one or more sugary beverages a day are 60 percent more likely to become obese,” Shawn McIntosh executive director of Sugar Free Kids Maryland said. The main goal of this measure is to make sure kids are eating and drinking healthier things so the odds of obesity will decrease.
– Radley Ellenbogen, news editor