“Keeping It Current” writers are back and ready for another year of hard-hitting headlines. And as a bonus, to make up for our long break from reporting, we are giving you two rounds of news this week. That’s right, two. The headlines seen below from this week and ones that will cover the top stories from the summer. So without further ado, this week’s news. With a bridge collapse, a little league going to the big tops, and forest fire issues, The Prowler has the stories.

More than 300 people injured due to pier collapsing (8/13)

Around midnight on Sunday, hundreds of people were injured during a music festival in the city of Vigo, Spain. The Spanish rap artist Rels B. was performing at the closing concert when the middle section of the pier collapsed. The collapsed section had a length of about 40 meters. The collapse was possibly caused by the excess weight or the audience jumping during the festival.

When the pier broke down, people at the concert fell into the water. Divers and rescue workers searched for people who might be trapped below the broken boards of the pier.

The search lasted until Monday morning and authorities reported that there were no fatalities. More than 300 people were injured, and nine people remained hospitalized with five in serious conditions due to the accident. Several politicians have already warned about how the pier needed work. As a result, an investigation is in progress to find out the causes of the accident.

PTC Little League Team secures ticket to the Finals (8/14)

After the final inning, our local Peachtree City team takes the Southeast region by storm. Their four-game win streak was sealed with a 3-0 win. This is the closest our hometown team has ever came to the championship since 2011.

Within the game there were 13 strikeouts by the starting pitcher Jasen Kenty. But don’t underestimate his hitting game. He scored one of the three runs that broke the game out of a 0-0 tie. The win would not have been possible without an infield sacrifice by Tai Peete which made the game 3-0.

The PTC Little League will head to Williamsport to play for the second spot in the championship. They play on Aug. 17 for the chance to represent Georgia and the Southeast. The championship game will be played on Aug. 26.

Two boys forfeit from all Marietta High School football wins after mistakenly being on special permission(8/15)

Two athletes from Marietta High School have been taken off the roster and every football win from last season has been revoked. Two students who were on special permission to attend Marietta High School since they did not live in the district were mistakenly given this permission by the fault of an adult who works at the high school.

It is said that their parents work at some close elementary schools but not at the actual high school, so their special permission should not apply. These two athletes who also have 18 Division 1 scholarships collectively will lose them since every win was forfeited from last year.

They filed a lawsuit against the GHSA to get their football wins back and be re-enrolled in school. The verdict ruled in favor of the school and both boys are still not on the roster.

Wildfires in California spark nationwide epidemic (8/16)

Rage is a common conception that comes to mind when personifying the shear destructive power of a flame. With just a slight change in the wind, something as innocent as a candle could be turned into a wildfire. Although the fire in itself is a terrible thing to deal with, the destruction continues even as the last embers burn to a dim.

The state of California is too familiar with the destructive properties of an uncontrolled flame. About 5,000 wildfires have taken nicely to the dry states this year alone with the peak season only painfully approaching. Altogether, the flames have charred almost 1,500 square feet of land in the state of California and have left much evidence of destruction. 

When there is such a rise in fires, there comes a rise in its products as well. Because the flames have reached such a high the climbing amount of carbon monoxide and smoke from the California are spreading all the way across to the east coast and raising several health concerns to people as far away as New York.

Judge threatened over case (8/17)

One of the constitutional rights guaranteed to Americans is a fair, fast trial if they are suspected of breaking the law. This amendment has been upheld since the earliest days of the U.S. However, one case is currently being threatened in its ability to be fair.

The Manafort tax evasion case is currently under investigation, as the cases judge T.S. Ellis is being threatened by an unknown source. The terms to the threat is unknown as the judge is in fear of revealing them, but he did say telling the press will probably lead to the trial’s jury being threatened as well. Manafort is currently on trial for 18 accounts of tax evasion.

The future of the trial and what is to come is unknown. Officials hope it can continue as usual as the only thing left to do is determining a verdict. More information will be released as the case develops.