Friday Morning Scoop: Heated in Hawaii

Welcome to the Morning Scoop for Friday, May 4, 2018. Hot lava is everywhere, senior acceptances are at an all-time high and it’s crazy hot out. For those reasons specifically? Maybe. 

Follow this link to get the Morning Scoop in your inbox or send it to a friend, which would make us happy. What else makes us happy? It’s Star Wars Day. May the Fourth be with You.

Kilauea Volcano Erupts Causing Mandatory Evacuations

We have eruption. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Kilauea is a currently active shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, and the most active of the five volcanoes that together form the island of Hawai’i. Kailuea volcano erupted and released lava into a residential area on Thursday, leading to mandatory evacuations.

The eruption affected Leilani Estates, a subdivision in the lower East Rift Zone of the volcano. About 1,700 people are under the evacuation order. The fire department also detected high levels of dangerous sulfur dioxide gas in the area.

Governor David Ige, the eighth governor of the State of Hawai’i, tweeted “I urge residents in Leilani Estates and the surrounding areas to follow instructions…Please be alert and prepare now to keep your family safe.”

The evacuation follows after hundreds of earthquakes shook the eastern side of the Big Island. The US Geological Survey reported that the magnitude of the most severe quake was 5. It also hit the island Thursday morning, and within the next half hour two more struck the area, registering at a less severe rate of 2.5 and 2.7.

There have been no reported injuries.

‘Dear White People’ Is Back

Based on Justin Simien’s acclaimed movie, Dear White People, the story is set at a predominantly white Ivy League institution where racial tension is high. The film follows the stories of four black student where controversy breaks out when a popular but problematic “black-face” party is thrown by white students.

Dear White People — the series, also created by Simien, picks up where the movie left off; following Samantha White, Lionel Higgins, Joelle Brooks, Reggie Green and Colandrea “Coco” Conners, a group of Winchester University’s students of color, as they navigate through college, while dealing issues of social injustice, cultural bias and activism. In the last five minutes of the season finale, we see many gathered in the student union, following the immediate aftermath of a failed protest and a rowdy town hall. The students, watching Defamation, a parody of Scandal, described the gathering as “the epicenter of black life at Winchester.”

On Friday, May 4, the entire second season of Dear White People will be available on Netflix.

 Danielle Germain has more details in her report for CMN.

“I Could Go Anywhere, and Discover Who I Am” Senior, Jasmine Harrison Accepted to 113 of 115 Colleges 

North Carolina high school senior Jasmine Harrison, a 17-year-old from Greensboro, N.C., had her pick of 113 colleges across the U.S. — and scholarship offers of nearly $4 million when added together — but she decided to stay close to home for the next chapter in her education.

Jasmine finally settled on Bennett College in Greensboro, NC., a private four-year historically black liberal arts college for women. She got a full scholarship covering the $28,000 annual cost to attend Bennett.

It’s been a good week for Jasmine in other ways, as well. She was profiled in the New York Times, as well.

Check out our report here.

Today in a Tweet: May the Fourth Be With You 

“Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.” This #StarWarsDay, let us remember the free-spirited and colorful princess: Carrie Fisher.

Last But Not Least: Who’s Speaking Where? Here’s a look at 2018 Commencement Speakers

There are some incredible speakers lined for 2018 Commencement Ceremonies. Here are just a few:

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth alum and actress Mindy Kaling will be giving the commencement address to the school’s graduating class on June 10 at 9 a.m. EST.

Dillard University

Grammy Award winning artist, Chance the Rapper, will give the 2018 Commencement address at the graduation ceremony of Dillard University on Saturday, May 12.

Yale University

Former secretary of state and presidential candidate Hilary Clinton will be a speaker during Yale’s graduation weekend. Clinton will be speaking on May 20 at 2 p.m. EST.

Check out Rachel Chan’s full list here.

This Friday Morning Scoop was compiled by Danielle Germain, Rachel Chan, and The CMN Staff. Whose ready for Summer #2K18? We hear it’s going to be a big one.