Panthers, tonight is the first round of playoffs for our football team. After a 9-1 region record, our Panthers have been gearing up to play at Mays tonight. Cheer them on as you read this week’s KICs. This week we have an Emperor Penguin being found in Australia, a flight attendant injured, increases in Georgia public university enrollments, Trader Joe’s opening in Peachtree City, and world leaders uniting in North Korea.
World – Emperor Penguin found on beach in Australia
On November 1, a male Emperor Penguin, the largest species of penguin, was found on a popular tourist beach in Denmark, Australia. He was found over 2,000 miles north of the frozen coast of Antarctica.
Emperor Penguins have been found in Australia’s neighbor, New Zealand, but Denmark is far north of this. The male penguin was found to be 39 inches tall and weighing 51 pounds, though a healthy male can weigh over 100 pounds. Nobody is sure why the penguin traveled all the way to Denmark.
The penguin is now in the care of Carl Biddulph with Western Australia state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, who is focused on rehabilitating the Emperor. They are still unsure if the penguin will be able to return back to Antarctica.
National – Flight attendant injured after gunfire strikes plane
While on a Spirit airline flight to Haiti gunfire at the plane injured a flight attendant and hit another plane. The flight chose to redirect to the Dominican Republic and has been there since.
Only the flight attendant was said to be injured and they reported minor injuries and are being taken care of by medical professionals. As of right now the passengers and crew have been in the Dominican Republic while a flight is being arranged for them back to Florida. A post-flight inspection showed that a JetBlue flight had also been hit by a round but with no injuries.
As of now the U.S. State department has issued a warning for Americans to not travel to the Caribbean because of gang related efforts. An investigation has been issued and flights to and from Haiti have been suspended until December 2.
State – Georgia public universities see enrollment rise by 6%
During a University System of Georgia meeting, officials told regents they believed the system had benefited from the Georgia Match program. This program sends letters out to high school seniors urging them to apply for admissions.
Atlanta University saw enrollment grow by another 11% and is now Georgia’s largest university. The University of West Georgia saw enrollment rise by 13% as well. The National Student Clearinghouse reported that student enrollment grew by 3% nationwide.
Growth continues to be unbalanced because the larger school grows faster than the smaller schools. However, the smaller schools have returned to growth after losing students during the pandemic.
Local – Trader Joe’s to open in Peachtree City
Trader Joe’s has confirmed plans to open a store in Peachtree City. This marks the grocery chain’s first location that is outside the immediate Atlanta area.
The store is planned to occupy Books-A-Million’s 13,000 square-foot anchor space, which has operated since late 2002 in The Avenue. Books-A-Million, which is also referred to as BAM!, has planned to relocate in January in a nearby location, possibly the former Tuesday Morning space at the opposite corner of Georgia Highways 54 and 74. Trader Joe’s is planned to come in summer of 2025, and BAM! is scheduled to close before the new year.
Trader Joe’s is among the most sought-out merchants nationwide, having numerous locations in
Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Florida. In Peachtree City, Trader Joe’s joins recent additions including 9292 Korean BBQ, Hobnob, and Kendra Scott, reflecting Peachtree City’s appeal as a retail destination.
Politics – Leaders Unite on North Korea Threat
President Joe Biden met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the APEC summit in Peru to address North Korea’s growing military partnership with Russia. North Korea has deployed troops and provided weapons to Russia while increasing ballistic missile tests.
Up to 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, along with munitions to replenish Moscow’s stockpiles. The leaders discussed coordinated responses to these actions, highlighting the urgency of countering North Korea’s provocations. This meeting builds on the trilateral partnership launched at Camp David in 2023.
Japan’s new Prime Minister, Ishiba, pledged to pursue a military buildup and strengthen U.S.-Japan cooperation. The leaders remain vigilant as North Korea could escalate actions during the U.S. presidential transition.