April 20, 2026 by Olivia Clemmensen (‘26)
Local:
-Gear Up for Senior Assassin: Senior Assassin season is approaching as swim goggles, floaties and water guns have begun selling out in local stores. The Toga Senior Assassin Instagram page has begun gaining followers, and targets will be assigned May 3. Senior Assassin is a game that became popular in the early 2010s and quickly became a tradition in high schools in the United States and Canada. It is a student-organized elimination game with much running, hiding, offense, defense, secrets, and betrayals.
-Toga Spring Sports Continue: Toga Lacrosse, Baseball, Flag Football, Tennis, Softball, and Outdoor Track are up and running for the spring season. The Toga Varsity Baseball team has had four wins so far this 2025-26 year against Averill Park, Bethlehem, Maine Endwell, and CBA. Their next game is today at Guilderland. Toga Varsity Lacrosse won their game against Bethlehem Central High School this past Thursday, April 16, by a score of 7-6 and are set to play home vs. Rutland tonight as well. Toga Varsity Tennis won their last match against Bethlehem at home this past Friday and are set to play at Shaker High School tonight. View the Saratoga Springs Athletics schedule here to support: Saratoga Springs High School — ScheduleGalaxy
-Man Arrested on Murder Charge in Saratoga Springs: Kyle Baker was arraigned on second-degree murder charges late Tuesday night after being accused of intentionally stabbing John “Clay” Williamson on West Avenue in Saratoga Springs last Tuesday morning. Baker pleaded ‘not guilty.’ Officers were called out to the area around 7:30am, right as Saratoga Springs High School students began entering school for the morning just down the road. CBS6 Albany reported that the officers had “found Williamson going in and out of consciousness and bleeding heavily from his injuries” upon their arrival at the scene. Williamson was then rushed to the hospital and died. “Police said Baker was unhoused at the time he allegedly stabbed Wiliamson, who they said was living in the woods near West Ave,” CBS6 said. Baker is now in Saratoga County Jail now after the incident along with having two prior felony convictions.
Man charged with murder in deadly Saratoga Springs fight
National:
-Deadliest Mass Shooting Since 2024 Kills 8 Children in Louisiana: Just yesterday, April 19, eight children were killed in a fatal shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana. The suspect was killed by police during a pursuit after fleeing the scene. Local police identified the gunman as Shamar Elkins, who was the father of seven of the eight children involved in the incident. This “marks the nation’s deadliest mass shooting since January 2024,” stated CNN. The eight children were between the ages of 3 and 11, a 13-year-old boy was injured, and two adult women were also shot and seriously injured in the attack. This marks the 114th mass shooting this year according to CNN statistics.
-Two Resignations from Congress this Past Tuesday: California Democrat Eric Swalwell and Texas Republican Tony Gonzales have resigned from Congress as of Tuesday, after both were accused of sexual misconduct and would have been faced with expulsion from the House had they stayed in office. “Swalwell also suspended his campaign for governor of California this week amid the allegations, including allegations of sexual assault which he’s denied,” stated ABC News. After both Swalwell and Gonzales’s resignations, the new breakdown of the House is as follows: 217 Republicans and 213 Democrats, but House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to swear in Republican Representative-elect Clay Fully of Georgia into office Tuesday, making the GOP majority to 218.
Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales resign from Congress – ABC News
Global:
-The Strait of Hormuz and Iranian Debacle: In the midst of the United States-Iran conflict, which has been escalating over the past few months, Iran reversed course this past Saturday on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, warning it would continue to block transit “as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect,” according to AP News. Additionally, President Donald Trump said the “U.S. forcibly seized an Iranian flagged cargo ship that tried to get around a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz” reported The Hill. This came along with reports that two gunboats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had opened fire on a tanker in the waterway that same day. Trump had announced earlier that U.S. negotiators would speak with Iran to prolong the ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday, but this news has muddied the situation and may result in this meeting being postponed. This standoff continues to threaten the lives of those in Iran, Lebanon, Israel, and other Gulf Arab states. The increase in fighting has already killed at least 5,400 people and is only deepening a global energy crisis along with these fatal deaths.
Iran fires on ships in Strait of Hormuz as Tehran imposes restrictions again | AP News
The Latest: Iran threatens to respond after US Navy seizes an Iranian-flagged cargo ship | The Hill