Maggie: Happy Friday! It is January, 16th.And today we are snuggling up with the Next Big Thing that takes napping to a whole other level. Plus, we find out what you guys had to say about whether nor not cheerleading is a sport. I am Maggie Rulli and Channel One News starts right now.
First up, let's check out headlines.
An Ohio man is in custody today facing federal charges for allegedly plotting to blow up the U.S Capitol.
FBI officials say they stopped 20-year-old Christopher Cornell as he was taking the final steps to travel to WashingtonDC to carry out his attack. According to criminal documents, his plan was to kill employees and officers working in and around the U.S. Capitol.
But the plot was foiled outside this gun range in Ohio.
While Cornell allegedly bought two semi-automatic rifles and 600 rounds of ammunition, police were waiting outside to arrest him.
Court documents show Cornell posted videos online supporting the terror group ISIS. Last summer, authorities say he told an FBI agent "I believe we should just wage jihad under our own orders and plan attacks.”
As lawmakers in the U.S grow more fearful of home grown terrorists, the White House is planning to hold a summit on the issue next month.
Next up, starting today, Americans will have an easier time traveling to Cuba. It is part of President Obama's plan to open up a relationship with the island nation, after more than 50 years of tensions.
Under the new rules, Americans will be able to visit Cuba without first getting a license from the government.But they still need to meet certain criteria, like visiting family members in Cuba, official government business, or a journalist on assignment.
Everyday Americans can also visit Cuba for educational, cultural or religious reasons.
Travelers will now be able to use credit cards and there is no longer a limit on how much money they can spend while in Cuba.
The 53-year-old trade embargo,which says Americans cannot do business with Cuba, is still in place though. Only congress can make a change to that.
And now, it is time to hear what you had to say about whether cheerleading should officially be called a sport.
Sixty-eight percent of you said yes, cheerleading is a sport.
Thirty-two percent said no.
Lexi wrote, I think cheerleading should be a sport because I did cheer and basketball and we did almost the same things. It included conditioning, lots of practicing, and going to ever single game just like the players of the game. It’s not fair to cheerleaders when people don’t even recognize them as real athletes when we do the same thing.
Breanna disagrees. Cheerleading isn’t a sport because a sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. But cheerleading is encouragement to a team in order for them to do their best.
And the Room 4 Crew Class is somewhere in the middle. Our class thinks that it should only be a sport if cheerleading teams compete against one another. We think this could be great half-time entertainment.
Thanks for all the comments, guys. We love hearing from you.
Alright, coming up, can a military-like boot camp change a struggling teen's future? We find out just ahead.
Last week we met the students of Sunburst Academy, all teens who are trying to escape their tough past. And Arielle you have been following their stories.
Arielle: Yeah, Maggie. So, they come from a past filled with drugs, gangs, and alcohol abuse. But after a few weeks is a transformation I don't think many of them expected to see.
17- year old Adjekai Stewart has been standing on this platform for 10 minutes.
She climbed three stories high to leap to a cross bar a few feet away. It is part of an exercise to build trust and self-esteem and isone of the reasons she ishere at Sunburst Academy in California. Her hesitation mirrored her hesitation in life.
Adjekai: I allowed drugs and alcohol abuse to kind of take over my life. But before I realized all that I’dmade a really brash decision to try and end my life. That was kind of the turning point, kind of the climax of the story where it could go either way.
Arielle: But on this day she took a leap of faith.
The tears suggest she gained much more than confidence on the way down.
Adjekai is one of over 200 teens at the Sunburst Youth Academy, a 5 1/2 month boot camp for troubled kids run by the California National Guard.
They all volunteered to behere, searching for a second chance. This "confidence course" taught them the value of teamwork and having someone that believes in you.
When 17-yr old Marissa Stowe arrived here she lagged behind her classmates in drive and focus. She is also a year behind in school. But that's starting to change.
Marissa: I got my first A and then got another A+ in the next class, and I was like,I like usually get F's at school. Cause I just want to sleep when I did go to class.
Arielle: Thefirst two weeks at Sunburst ended in what'scalled a Red Phase Ceremony. It marks a turning point in the program.
The students are now called cadets. They have replaced the black t-shirts and gray sweatshorts with firmly presseduniforms and spit-shined boots.
The 54-cadet platoons are also given names like ‘Wolfpack’ and ‘Panthers.’
Like all the cadets here, Edward Tucker has to dig deep to keep going.He says he used to be influenced by his gang-member friends, but Sunburst has given him a new motivation in life.
Tucker: I have a picture, of my litter brother, two years old. I think about him. How I can change and just be a better me, so he can see that and then maybe he’ll just follow in footsteps.
Arielle: And we will have the final look at these committed students next week.
Maggie: Very cool. Thanks a lot, Arielle.
Alright, up next. What if we told you we could give you concentration, creativity and happiness for free?
Arielle: I would take it.
Maggie: Right? I know. Well, that could be the Next Big Thing.
We all need more sleep, right? But how exactly do you get it?Well, we are going to show you how you can catch some shut eye, in the middle of the day, just ahead.
But before we get to this week's Next Big Thing, let’s see what you guys thought about last week's.
We told you about Cicret, a bracelet that projects your phone, emails, and text messages onto your forearm with sensor beams.
So, is it the Next Big Thing?
Ninety-three percent said yes! Beam it.
Seven percent said no! I will stick to my smart phone.
Todaywe look to fix a problem that we know you have; lack of sleep. Several reports show that young people just aren’t gettingenough. So we are going to show you some ways you can catch those zzz's absolutely anywhere you want.
It is no doubt a bizarre invention, but it means you can now comfortably nap anywhere you like, whether it is at a desk, at an airport or even on a train.
The Ostrich Pillow is a luxury pillow that allows you to rest your head and hands inside. It is designed to block out noise and light, making it perfect for public places.
The name was inspired by the way ostriches bury their heads in the sand.
The first prototype was a hit on the web with thousands of orders coming in from all those sleep-deprived citizens of the world. But it is not the only public napping invention that's taking off.
One sleep-deprived student at New York University developed this cocoon nutshell that you pull over your head like an extra-large hood and wrap yourself up in the comfort of your own portable sleeping pod.
Studies show power-napping 20-30 minutes a day increases productivity by 34 percent. A lack of sleep in teens can lead to poor grades and trouble concentrating in school.
That's why the University of Michigan last year was one of the first schools to set up a napping station near the library, allowing students to catch up on those much needed zzz's.
Male: I think this is pretty cool.
Maggie: So stop yawning and take that nap anywhere you can.
So what do you think? Is public napping the Next Big Thing? Head on over to ChannelOne.com to vote.
Well, now I am going to head out and take my own public nap. But don’t forget, we are off on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day,so we will see you all right back here on Tuesday.
Have an awesome weekend.
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