Megan Leboff
Staff Writer

Hiring is much weaker than expected amidst the aftermath of COVID-19 with millions of jobs remaining unfilled, but the shortage could be a huge advantage for high school students

     I’m sure you’ve seen them around. The big “We’re Hiring!” signs hung up on the windows of every business in town. But the question is, why so many? Where did all the workers go?

     The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly caused major disruptions in economies globally, the department of labor saying it has caused 10 million job openings in the country. But all these job openings have people wondering: why can’t the people who were laid off due to covid fill those jobs?

     The answer lies in the workers themselves. Research shows that most people in the US want to do something different with their lives than what they were doing before the pandemic. The Washington Post said, “…66 percent of the unemployed had ‘seriously considered’ changing their field of work, a far greater percentage than during the Great Recession.”

       One common misconception is that workers aren’t coming back to work because the “generous” stimulus checks and unemployment payments have given them all the money they need. But research says otherwise.          

     Over labor day, 7 million Americans lost benefits, and yet there was no considerable hiring boost in September.

     So what are businesses doing to help bring in workers? Well, in order to attract workers, businesses have begun raising their wages and creating incentives. 

    For example in the hospitality industry, wages are up 18 percent, with Washington Post’s Heather Long calling it one of the biggest labor transformations since ww2. 

    Plus, chains like McDonald’s and Taco Bell are offering cash bonuses and other perks for people who apply in order to fill thousands of open jobs.

    So what does this mean for you? High school is a time when most students will get their first job, and gain the experience that will help them into the next step of their lives. 

   And with businesses desperate for work, now is the perfect time to apply. Not only are you more likely to get hired, but most businesses are also offering competitive wages, which is a luxury you may not have had two years ago. 

     For example, Starbucks in the gateway center on Alicia parkway is looking for workers. Starbucks pays $14-20 an hour plus tips, and offers benefits such as 401(k), a Flexible schedule, Employee discount, and paid time off. It is a great first job that teaches how to quickly process and remember complicated orders, improve customer service skills, and learn the ins and outs of a workplace.

     Other jobs in and near Mission Viejo that are hiring include Sno2Go, Taco Bell, Wendys, Kohl’s, Yogurtland, Clair’s, Shake Shack, Five Guys, McDonald’s, and Denny’s.

     To apply, many of these companies have online applications on their website, which allow you to submit your application virtually. However, not all companies offer online applications, and some will require you to pick up an application in-store.

     Either way, now is the perfect time to fill out your application and gain some much-needed experience in the work industry, and not to mention make bank in the process.

Breanna Huynh
Feature Editor

What Mission students are doing for Halloween this year with COVID-19 still being around.

     Death, fear, and uncertainty hung in the air last October where coronavirus (COVID-19) cases were surging in California. Many lives were ruined as people lost jobs, were no longer able to see their family/friends for the holidays, or have lost a loved one. 

     While it may be impossible to bring back the dead, California residents can now celebrate (semi-normally) Halloween this year. 

     On CNN’s State of the Union this week, Dr. Fauci proclaimed that, “I think that, particularly if you’re vaccinated, you can get out there and enjoy it.”  Of course safety precautions will have to be taken as COVID-19 is still here, but with about 60% of the population being fully vaccinated, it is possible for people to participate in Halloween celebrations. 

     Dr. Fauci further emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated when you are able to, especially when looking at the majority of trick or treaters who are mainly ages 12 or below that are not eligible for the vaccine yet. With that being said, there are ways for people to celebrate it safely. 

     The Los Angeles County of Public Health has published a guide for families and individuals about safety measures that can be taken during Halloween that includes slight modifications to the usual activities. 

     They suggest that for people giving out candy to trick or treaters, it would be best to use tape lining up your doorway to help distance the trick or treaters or to create a trick or treating station outside where the kids can easily grab the candy and go. 

     Additionally, there are other recommended guidelines such as keeping gatherings small with people you know, avoiding indoor places, and wearing a mask whether or not you are outside trick or treating. That goes to say that costume masks are not substitutes for an actual mask. 

     Although precautions are highly recommended and may seem horrible to some people, many others have found ways to work around them and enjoy the holiday. For instance, Yu Xin Cheng, a senior, is going to go and host a small backyard gathering with her friends. 

     “I missed celebrating Halloween last year because of the pandemic, so this year I wanted to do something big but still keep it safe with the pandemic still raging on,” Cheng shares. 

     She regretfully acknowledges that while this isn’t what she usually does every year, “I’m still really excited for Halloween and I think that it will be just as fun and festive as the last few years.

     However, Halloween doesn’t have to be limited to just outdoor gatherings. A junior, Amelia Chang, isn’t sure what she is going to do but says that, “I might invite a couple of my friends over and watch a couple of movies and eat candy.” 

     Even though it is not as festive as it was pre-pandemic, it is something compared to last year. Last year, COVID-19 cancelled everyone’s plans for the holiday where there were no vaccines available and the virus served as a dangerous risk. 

     Luckily with the vaccines, many activities that didn’t seem possible are doable this year and hopefully with people following the guidelines and more people getting vaccinated, the winter holidays won’t look as bad. 

Vanessa Mendoza
Staff Writer
An oil spill occurred on October 2, 2021 that has caused lots of damage to the environment and has led people to assume what is next for the future.

On Saturday, October 2, 2021, Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr said a leak from an offshore oil production facility spilled 3,000 barrels of oil, which is about 126,000 gallons. 

     Officials said the leak is expected to have occurred about 4.5 miles offshore, and on Monday night, October 4, state and federal officials updated the potential oil spill amount to around 144,000 gallons, meaning that it was worse than everyone initially anticipated. 

     Carr said that the U.S coast guard was not notified of the spill until around 9:00 in the morning on October 2. The oil had ended up reaching the shore on Sunday, Oct. 3, in the early morning. 

     Investigators have reason to believe that a 1,200 foot cargo ship dragging anchor in rough seas ended up catching an underwater oil pipeline and pulling it across the seafloor, months before the leak had originally  occurred. 

    A team of federal investigators trying to chase down the cause of the spill boarded the Panama-registered MSC DANIT just hours after the massive ship had arrived on the weekend of October 16 off the Port of Long Beach, the same area where the leak was discovered earlier this month.

     Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Sondra Kay Kneen said that during a prior visit by the ship during a heavy storm in January, investigators believe its anchor dragged for an unknown distance before striking the 16-inch steel pipe. 

     Kneen also said that the impact would have knocked an inch-thick concrete casing off the pipe and pulled it more than 100 feet, bending but not breaking the line. 

     What is still undetermined is whether or not the impact caused the October leak, or if the line was hit by something else at a later date or even failed due to a preexisting problem. 

     The Coast Guard designated the owner and operator as parties of interest in its investigation into the spill, estimated to have released about 25,000 gallons of crude into the water, killing birds, fish and mammals. 

     The accident fouled beaches and wetlands and led to temporary closures for cleanup work. It has reignited the debate over offshore drilling in federal waters in the Pacific, where hundreds of miles of pipelines were installed decades ago. 

     As the oil started spreading to more beaches, Laguna Beach closed all its beaches, asking that “all individuals remain clear of the beach and pay close attention to any beach closure or warning signs,” according to a statement released by the city. 

     The Coast Guard has recovered 3,150 gallons of oil from the water as of Sunday night, and 5,360 feet of boom have been deployed. 

     The shoreside response was conducted by 105 government agency personnels. Fourteen boats conducted oil recovery operations while three Coast Guard boats enforced a safety zone off 1,000 yards around the oil spill boats. 

     Also, four aircrafts were dispatched for overflight assessments. The final day of the Pacific Airshow was canceled in order to facilitate cleanup operations.

      In addition, residents were advised not to swim, surf or exercise near the beach due to the potential health hazards, such as toxic fumes. 

     Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said,”You can’t get wildlife back that are killed in this process, and some of the habitat of the plant species, they’re going to be impacted for years to come.” 

     Damage to the environment is not the only thing that is feared because there have been many reports of surfers getting sick. 

     One surfer even stated, “It feels like you have a thick coating in your mouth, if you’re out there too long. It’s definitely the vapors in the air, and they’re impacting the environment.” 

     Animal Rescuers confirmed that Marine animals will be taken to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, where they will be triaged and later sent to SeaWorld San Diego for rehabilitation. 

     The Pacific Marine Mammal Center is currently in a “holding pattern” as it awaits the arrival of oiled animals in the next hours, days and weeks. Ocean conservation nonprofit Oceana urged policymakers to begin a widespread shift to clean energy and to end offshore drilling to prevent future spills. 

     The Huntington Beach oil spill is just the latest in American waters this past month. After Hurricane Ida tore through the Gulf Coast in early September, it left a trail of oil in its wake, with nearly 350 oil spills reported to the Coast Guard in the days after the storm made landfall. 

     An analysis by the organization also found that ending new leasing for offshore oil and gas in the U.S. could prevent over 19 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions as well as more than $720 billion in damages to people, property and the environment in the country. 

      The California Department of Wildlife has set up a hotline to report wildlife impacted by the oil. Individuals are advised not to handle the wildlife but to report any incidents to 877-8233-6926.