On New Year's Eve, a day when political news is almost annually thrown under the bus, President Obama signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA), a law that threatens the basic civil rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and could potentially turn the United States into a whole new front in the war on terror.

Bus fares for individual riders, disabled riders and shuttle services are going up.

Anyone who has seen the 2005 documentary Murderball knows that the sport of quad rugby is intense. It is a 4-on-4 full-contact sport played by athletes who navigate the court in specialized wheelchairs. The rules are similar to those of traditional rugby, but instead of running around an open, grassy field, the players fly around a basketball court in technically advanced wheelchairs, attempting to carry the ball across the opponent's goal line.

The Occupy Wall Street movement has arrived in Jacksonville and has no plans of leaving, much to the dismay of several Jacksonville City Council members. Six weeks after beginning their protest in front of City Hall, Deputy General Counsel Howard M. Maltz sent Occupy Jacksonville a letter stating they were not allowed to have signs or store items in front of City Hall. The city issued an order Jan. 17 to shut down the electrical outlets surrounding the protest, including those in nearby Hemming Plaza that were not in use by protesters.

James Williams nearly didn't graduate from high school. His problems began in early childhood after his parents divorced. He moved back and forth between parents, switching elementary schools more than 10 times. James struggled to keep up, failing the third grade twice, and he eventually ended up at an alternative school after being kicked out of Kirby Smith in the 7th grade for fighting.

Surrounded by her teammates and coaches, FSCJ volleyball standout Kanesha Burch signed her letter of intent to play for the University of Alabama's volleyball team next season.

The ceremonial signing was an intimate affair, which took place Nov. 9 in the lobby of the FSCJ South Campus gym. The scene had a going-away party like-vibe, and a wide range of emotions were expressed. Some players voiced their excitement for Kanesha's new endeavor, while others lamented at her impending departure. Most, however, expressed simultaneous feelings of joy and sadness. Teammates took pictures, ate cake, and shared their wishes of good luck with their teammate, while Kanesha wore a permanent smile and a University of Alabama hat.

With 10 games remaining in the Women's Basketball season, it seems as though the early season storm has passed. The Stars, plagued with injuries and the lack of a full off-season, struggled in the first half of the season. The season began with the Stars winning just 2 of its first 12 games.

The FSCJ Stars Men's Basketball team picked up a much needed win at home against Daytona State College. The defense played lights out and held DSC to just 38 points in the game, forcing 11 turnovers. The Stars needed just 48 points of their own to secure the win, but low scoring games have been a trend all season. The Stars have struggled to make shots all season, and the game against Daytona was no different.

Is there more to being wicked than meets the eye? Wicked, the $2.4 billion Tony Award-winning Broadway hit delves deep into the Land of Oz and demystifies the past of the mysterious Wicked Witch of the West.

The King of Rock-n-Roll will be alive and well Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Times-Union Center Moran Theater. Elvis Lives!, a live multimedia production sponsored by The Artist Series, will be taking place at 8:00. The show will include a number of Elvis tribute performers, including finalists from the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest.