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Parental rights group scores victories but falls short in a number of metro school board races v. union-endorsed candidates

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

Metro school board candidates backed by a parental rights group clinched some victories in Tuesday’s elections, but most faltered in the face of a large slate of union-supported candidates in competitive suburban races.About a quarter of the 44 candidates backed by Minnesota Parents Alliance prevailed, and they won a 5-2 majority on the Hastings School Board. They also won two seats in highly competitive races for the Anoka-Hennepin School Board, meaning three of six members of that body are now supported by the group.The MPA also had members elected in South Washington County, Minnetonka, Spring Lake Park, Hopkins, and Wayzata.But candidates backed by the state teachers’ union, Education Minnesota, won the vast majority of their races Tuesday night. Of the 53 union-endorsed candidates, 85% won the seats they competed for, according to union president Denise Specht.“I think what it says really is Minnesota voters want public schools where children have the freedom to read age approp...

11/8/23: Improvements Thursday Afternoon

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

Latest Forecast Update from Meteorologists Steve Caporizzo, Rob Lindenmuth & Kevin Appleby:A chilly afternoon across the Capital Region as clouds raced in early this afternoon which helped to hold temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s. Cold air is in place for some wintry mix overnight tonight, winter weather advisories for areas outside the Hudson Valley for minor snow accumulations along with some sleet and up to a glaze of freezing rain.The storm system responsible for bringing the wintery weather is back to the west and will be tracking into the Great Lakes overnight tonight. As it does this it will push a band of moisture into the region. A brief period of sleet and some snow will be possible overnight tonight, but temperatures will rise overnight behind a warm front and will change any moisture back to rain by Thursday morning. Drier air will move in for the second part of Thursday and into early Friday with some sunshine possibly by Thursday late afternoon. This sunsh...

Klay Thompson on Nuggets’ 2023 NBA playoff run: “That’s pretty dominant”

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

Before the NBA’s two most recent champions clashed for the first time of the 2023-24 season, Klay Thompson paid his respects to the team that dethroned his Warriors.The four-time champion Golden State guard, asked if he was surprised by the Nuggets’ 16-4 playoff record last season, marveled, “that’s pretty dominant.”Thompson would know a thing or two about dominant championship runs. The Warriors set an all-time standard by going 16-1 in 2016-17, then they went 16-5 in the playoffs to repeat the next season. Even the 2021-22 Golden State team, regarded as far weaker than the franchise’s other title-winning rosters, went 16-6 and never played an elimination game.“Yeah, it was surprising the way (the Nuggets) swept the Lakers,” Thompson said. “But give them credit. They have a great team. Nikola (Jokic) is a great player. … Jamal (Murray) had an incredible run in the playoffs. The whole team did, really. They all knew their r...

Colorado Department of Transportation project aims to reduce I-70 closures near the tunnels this winter

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

Every hour the Interstate 70 mountain corridor is closed the state’s economy takes an almost $2 million hit, according to Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Shoshana Lew.Related ArticlesTransportation | I-70 westbound reopened at Vail Pass Summit after crash closed roadway Transportation | Eastbound I-70 reopens at Floyd Hill after sun glare closure Transportation | I-70 in Aurora reopened after man seen in median “with a gun” taken into custody Transportation | Potential for Floyd Hill sun glare closures on eastbound I-70 resumes Transportation | I-70 eastbound reopens in Wheat Ridge after late-night crash But that’s only part of the reason why the opening of a new, updated operations center at the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels — where I-70 crosses beneath the Continental Divide — is so important to the transportation department as winter approaches.“Not onl...

Tarzana home linked to woman's torso found in dumpster: LAPD

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

The gruesome discovery of a woman's torso in a dumpster led detectives to a home in Tarzana Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.A man scavenging for recyclables discovered the woman’s remains at about 6:15 a.m. in a parking lot near Ventura Boulevard and Rubio Avenue in nearby Encino, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.“Officers responded and they were able to verify that there were human remains inside a black [plastic] bag,” said LAPD homicide detective Efren Guttierez.Only a torso was found with no other body parts. The black bag had been placed inside a duffel bag and tossed into the dumpster, police said. “If a murder suspect is dismembering a body, it’s to delay identification,” said Guttierez.A woman's torso was found in a dumpster in Encino in Nov. 8, 2023. (KTLA)Detectives are seen at a home on Coldstream Terrace in Tarzana on Nov. 8, 2023. Detectives are seen at a home on Coldstream Terrace in Tarzana on Nov. 8, 2023. A woman's torso was found in a dumpster...

Teens allegedly sex trafficked through San Bernardino County massage parlor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

Three suspects were charged with allegedly running a sex trafficking ring involving teen girls out of a San Bernardino County massage parlor.The trio are accused of trafficking teen girls to “engage in commercial sexual activities” at Ace Care Massage Parlor in Redlands, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.The suspects were identified as:-Ji Ryang Chae, 54, a.k.a. “Chae Yu” and “BB” - The parlor’s manager and a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado-Jasmine Dakota Beverly, 24, a.k.a. “Bbybegirl” - The manager-in-training at Ace Care. Currently lives in Costa Mesa-Earnest Akindele Teamer, 26, a.k.a. “Scooby,” “Splash,” and “$koobystacks” - Acted as a recruiter for Ace Care. Lives in RedlandsBeverly would allegedly provide transportation to two victims – a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl.As recruiters, Beverly allegedly took $10 from the 15-year-old girl for each customer she saw while Teamer allegedly took $200 per week from that victim.Three suspects were charged with al...

California has been declared drought-free for the first time in years

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

California has been declared drought-free after the latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows most of the Golden State is free from any drought classification.Drought conditions across the state have retreated after last year’s winter season brought heavy rain and historic snowfall to multiple regions. Tropical Storm Hilary brought even more rain during the summer. Humans to blame for about 90% of wildfire ignitions, report finds About 94% of the state is free from any drought classification, data released on Nov. 2 shows.Siskiyou, Modoc and Del Norte counties in Northern California are still classified as “abnormally dry,” the U.S. Drought Monitor’s least severe classification. Small portions of Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties have the same classification.The "abnormally dry" classification indicates that a region is "going into or coming out of a drought," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.No area in the Golden State is considered to be in an “extreme...

Rockstar Games provides update on much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto sequel

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

A trailer for the latest edition of the beloved (and controversial) Grand Theft Auto video game franchise is coming next month, according to the game's developer.On Wednesday, Rockstar Games provided an update about the status of the upcoming next-gen sequel in celebration of the company's 25th anniversary."In 1998, Rockstar Games was founded on the idea that video games could come to be as essential to culture as any other form of entertainment, and we hope that we have created games you love in our efforts to be part of that evolution," said Sam Houser, President of Rockstar Games.Houser promised that a trailer for the next installment of Grand Theft Auto would drop early in December."We look forward to many more years of sharing these experiences with all of you," Houser concluded in his message to fans.Visitors queue to play "Grand Theft Auto V" at the Tokyo Game Show in Chiba, suburban Tokyo on September 19, 2013. (Getty Images)It's been more than ten years since a new and orig...

Letters: Protect otters | Transparency needed | Free speech

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.More marine preserveswould protect ottersRe: “Inside the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s incredible surrogacy program for otters” (Nov. 6).The article was inspiring and encouraging to otter fans like me, given the existential threats that oil spills and pollution pose to California’s wild otter populations.We have an underutilized tool we should use to protect otters in their natural habitat along the California coast: the designation of marine reserves, also known as Marine Protected Areas. MPAs restrict or ban activities such as oil and gas drilling and commercial fishing that are harmful to otters and other aquatic life. These reserves have a proven record of enhancing marine biodiversity and bolstering kelp forests, which help to shield otters from sharks.The California Fish and Game Commission should build on the aquarium’s inspiring work by expanding the MPAs in Monterey Bay. Only then wi...

Tentative deal reached to avert walkouts at half of Vegas casinos set to strike

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:31 GMT

New York (CNN) — A tentative five-year labor deal has been reached between the Culinary union and Caesars Entertainment to avert a potential strike at its nine casinos along the Las Vegas Strip, although nine other casinos still face possible walkouts come Friday morning.The details of the agreement, which was announced in a tweet by the union, are not yet available, but the union said it was reached after 20 straight hours of negotiations. It covers 10,000 union members who work as cooks, bartenders, waiters and waitresses and housekeepers at the nine casinos owned by Caesars Entertainment.The nine casinos on the strip owned by the company are Caesars Forum, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Horseshoe, Paris, Planet Hollywood, The Cromwell and The Linq.The tentative deal will now be presented to rank-and-file members for a ratification vote. If they vote it down, they could still go on strike. But reaching a deal with one of the three casino operators along the strip increases th...