January 12, 2026 by Olivia Clemmensen (‘26)
Local:
–Top 8 SSHS Art Students Featured in Saratoga Arts High School All Stars Exhibition: The Saratoga Arts Center’s annual “All Stars” event showcases the work of selected high school art students, chosen by their schools’ art department, who have showcased “talent and ambition,” as stated by saratoga-arts.org. Each year, the Center requests artwork submissions from high schools in Saratoga, Fulton, and Montgomery counties created by their most talented students. From Saratoga Springs High School, eight artists have been selected to be showcased in this exhibition, with one piece each. Visit the gallery from now until January 31, where the exhibition will be open from 10am to 2pm.
-Toga Basketball Wins 67-66 on Friday, 1/9: On January 9, Saratoga Varsity Boys Basketball won their home game versus Colonie Central High School, infront of an incredibly neon student section who brought electric energy and school spirit to help the team win the tight game against the Wolfpack with a 67-66 end score. Wear your best frat outfit to support the Blue Streaks this Friday at 7pm, as Toga Basketball plays their third home game of the season against Ballston Spa High School in the Blue Gym.
-The Blue Streak Thrift Opened Last Friday: This past Friday ,the Blue Streak Thrift store opened as a remodel of Saratoga Springs High School’s Kindness Closet. It is now open each morning before block 1 and during Flex on Mondays and Fridays. This new addition to SSHS provides free clothing options for anyone in need of clothes to add to their wardrobe. Check it out in G204!
National:
-Renee Good Fatally Shot in Minneapolis by ICE agent on 1/7: On January 7, 2026, 37-year-old Renee Good was shot and killed in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who were in her neighborhood carrying out an immigration enforcement operation. Good was approached and later fired at by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Following the release of video footage showing the moments before the three shots were fired, clashing interpretations have emerged on the context of the situation and intentions of both Good and Ross. Federal officials including President Trump and Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem have gone to social media, claiming that Ross was acting in self-defense. However, the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, has stated the action made by the ICE agent was “reckless and unnecessary,” later commenting in his news conference, “To ICE […] we do not want you here.” This incident comes in the context of the Trump administration’s latest expanded immigration enforcment in Minneapolis and numerous other cities across the nation, as well as the many protests resisting the increase in ICE’s presence within the country, and this event has made national attention.
What ICE agent’s phone video reveals about Renee Good’s shooting death in Minneapolis | CBC News
ICE officer kills a Minneapolis woman during the latest immigration crackdown | AP News
-Buddhist Monks Walk for Peace from Texas to D.C:
On a 120-day journey that started on October 26, a group of Buddhist monks are on day 79 of their 2,300-mile-long pilgrimage from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C. Their mission is to promote “mindfulness and healing, and finding inner peace,” as told to US News outlets. While this meditative Buddhist tradition is more common in South Asia, these monks hope to spread their message of peace to Americans while embarking on their trip to D.C. Besides promoting peace, they plan to arrive in mid-February, where they plan to ask Congress to name Buddha’s day of birth and his enlightenment as a federal holiday. The monks sleep in tents outside, and some walk the trek barefoot, and have drawn a massive following on social media as well as in-person support. “My hope is, when this walk ends, the people we met will continue practicing mindfulness and find peace,” said the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, the group’s leader.
Buddhist monks walk for peace and captivate Americans | AP News
Buddhist Monks and Their Dog Captivate Americans While Walking for Peace
Global:
-U.S. Removes Venezuelan Leader from Power and his Country: On Saturday, January 3, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and taken into U.S. custody during a military operation authorized by United States President Donald Trump. The two were “flown to a U.S. warship and later to a federal court in New York for trial on charges related to narcoterrorism and drug trafficking,” reported CBS News. Nicolás Maduro has served as the president of Venezuela since 2013, despite losing to Edmundo González in the Venezuelan July 2024 election. Although Maduro has been a powerful and controversial leader of the Venezuelan government, he was taken by American forces due to claims of drug trafficking to the U.S. In recent reports, President Trump has claimed the U.S. will “run” Venezuela temporarily and utilize its oil reserves for US oil companies.
Live updates: U.S. captures Maduro and his wife after striking Venezuela | PBS News
How the U.S. captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro – CBS News