Dream's really can come true

At first glance, the life of Laura Iwanicki may appear no different than any other young adults her age although, training to qualify for the USA’s National Swim Team is far from average for anyone.

“It’s funny, because initially I had no desire to join the swim team,” said Laura Iwanicki, 20, Auburn New York. “But we were always at the pool because my older sister swam, so I thought, why not?”

When Ms. Iwanicki tried out the first time she didn’t make the Stingrays team but it did little to discourage her. After making the team the following year, she advanced to the top swimmer of her age group, placing second in the state for numerous races.

“Once I started falling in love with swimming, it was easy to do well,” she said. “I was able to put my mind on something and set goals without letting anything stand in my way.”

Her goals lead to her success in breaking over thirty records and claiming over ten national titles. These accomplishments inspired her latest goal of qualifying for the USA National Team.

“I want to test my maximum and see how much I can accomplish,” she said. “I want to look back and think that through my hard work, I became the best swimmer that I could possibly be.”

Ms. Iwanicki currently trains every day, for over four hours a day. She faces daily challenges of balancing schoolwork, training, and a social life.

“Finding a balance and missing out on social activities with my friends is the hardest part,” Iwanicki said. “Sometimes missing out on certain things in life comes at the cost of achieving your dreams.”

Through her continued hard work and dedication she hopes to be given the chance to swim among the nations best swimmers.

Slug: Wall

A 10-day-old baby was unharmed Monday after an explosion caused a wall to collapse between apartments and land on the baby’s crib, officials said.


The explosion occurred at the Fredrick Turner housing complex, on the 200th block of Aisquith Street, when Arnetta Sands, 36, of apartment 10B, was spraying insecticide from an aerosol can near the stove. The combustion left her with 1st degree burns on her back and arms in which she was treated and released from the Church Home and Hospital.


The 10-day-old baby, Andre Henderson, of the adjacent apartment 10C, was asleep in his crib at the time of the explosion. He was treated at John Hopkins for mild smoke inhalation and released.

Renee Henderson, 23, the mother of the 10-day-old baby, Andre, was uninjured in the explosion. Fire officials said that the explosion was accidental.

SLUG: Holdup

Three male suspects held up a Provident Savings Bank with a .22 caliber sawed-off rifle and escaped the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash Thursday morning police said.

The Provident Savings Bank is located close to the Inner Harbor on the 3100 block of Greenmount Avenue. The suspects entered the bank, and ordered the six people that were in the bank at the time to lie down on the floor.

While one suspect covered everyone, the other two suspects leaped over the counter, ransacked several teller’s cages then stuffed the money in two pillowcases. They fled the scene running along the alley on the north side of the bank, where they then dropped the rifle.

No injuries or arrests have been made at this time officials said.

Ashleigh Horton had a very unique and uncommon educational experience as a middle school student at the Mont Kiara International School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“Going to school at the Mont Kiara International School was a huge culture shock for me,” said Ashleigh Horton, 23, Towson University student of Annapolis, Maryland.
Ms. Horton formerly attended public school in New York but moved after her father’s job was relocated to Malaysia. Once attending her new school in Malaysia she realized how different Mont Kiara International School was to her former school in America.
“I had a very diverse group of friends in Malaysia that were from numerous different countries with very foreign cultures to mine,” Horton said. “In Malaysia I feel I gained a very well-rounded, broad cultural perspective that I didn’t get at my school in America; there was no American history it was World history.”
American Education lacks the culture diversity that an International School offers.

The grandmother, of a 4-yr-old-boy, has been charged with murder after her grandson was found brutally beaten to death in her Bronx apartment.

The grandmother Angela Barksdale, 45, is being charged with murder in the second degree. Officers arrived at her apartment, at 1368 Metropolitan Avenue in Parkchester, around 6 p.m. Saturday, after receiving a 911 call placed by a women they believed to be Ms. Barksdale.

According to the medical examiner’s office, the boy, Kevin Shand, died of blunt impact injuries and brain hemorrhaging.

Upon arrival to the apartment, police also discovered an 18-month-old-boy who was thankfully unharmed. Although his relationship was not immediately known, a police spokesman has said he is also believed to be a grandson.

It’s a shame that Ms. Barksdale couldn’t have taken other methods in resolving her anger with this poor child. If she felt that she wasn’t fit to take care of his she should of given him to someone who was. There are so many things you can do to prevent this type of situation from happening. It’s just sad in the case of this poor, innocent boy, she deserves to go to jail.

Ms. Barksdale is set to be arraigned Sunday evening or Monday morning.

The grandmother, of a 4-yr-old-boy, has been charged with murder after her grandson was found beaten to death in her Bronx apartment.

The grandmother Angela Barksdale, 45, is being charged with murder in the second degree. Officers arrived at her apartment, at 1368 Metropolitan Avenue in Parkchester, around 6 p.m. Saturday, after receiving a 911 call placed by a women they believed to be Ms. Barksdale.

According to the medical examiner’s office, the boy, Kevin Shand, died of blunt impact injuries and brain hemorrhaging.

Upon arrival to the apartment, police also discovered an 18-month-old-boy who was unharmed. Although his relationship was not immediately known, a police spokesman has said he is also believed to be a grandson.

Ms. Barksdale is set to be arraigned Sunday evening or Monday morning.